By Eric J. Lyman


ROME Wholesale NCAA Jerseys , Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Italy's agriculture sector suffered another blow last week when police seized thousands of kilograms of green olives tainted by a toxic substance.


Reports on the size of the bust vary: media reports say the figure could be as high as 85,000 tons of olives, though Gianni Cantele, president of the Apulia chapter of agricultural industry group Coldiretti said the accurate figure is around 10,000 kg.


About 40 percent of Italy's olive production comes from the Apulia region in southern Italy, which produced at least some of the tainted fruit in the latest case.


Even if the lower figure is accurate, it is the latest public relations problem for a sector that in recent years has already weathered image problems tied to multiple cases of counterfeit or contaminated wine Wholesale College Jerseys , bogus olive oil, and unsafe mozzarella cheese.


High-end food products are among Italy's most important economic sector, one of the few parts of the economy that has proved resilient during Italy's long economic malaise.


Key observers say that while no single scandal could hurt such a large sector, over time, repeated scandals can have an impact on public opinion.


"This is a serious issue," Cantele said in an interview. "In addition to the direct economic impacts, something like this damages the image of Italian agriculture Wholesale Jerseys China , which is something we cannot risk."


In the latest case, hundreds of millions of year-old olives were treated with a chemical called copper sulphate. The treatment changes the color of the old olives to bright green, making them look fresh. The compound also helps mask the bitter taste prevalent in older olives.


At least 19 people have been arrested in the case, with more arrests possible, according to police.


According to Daniela Sciarra, the top agriculture sector analyst with the environmental group Legambiente, copper sulphate can damage human skin and eyes if there is direct exposure Wholesale Jerseys , and cause serious intestinal issues if digested in high quantities. When the substance leaks into bodies of water it can kill marine life, and in the soil it can kill small plants.


"It is a crime that copper sulphate was used in this way," Sciarra told Xinhua.


But according to Alberto Mattiacci, an economics professor at Rome's La Sapienza University and president of the Italian Marketing Society, law enforcement's seizure of the tainted olives should be looked at as a kind of victory.


"Italy's agricultural sector is enormous and these occasional problems show the system works," Mattiacci told Xinhua. "Of course, it's a serious problem that it happens at all. But the correct way to look at it is that when something like this happens Cheap NCAA Jerseys China , the people behind it are caught."


BEIJING, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- China will strengthen supervision of businesses involved in cross-border economic activities, an official document said.


Dishonest businesses will face restrictive measures on loan guarantees, insurance rates, bidding and procurement, according to guidelines issued recently by 28 government departments including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).


Sectors under scrutiny include overseas trade, investment and financial cooperation.


Taking outbound investment as an example Cheap NCAA College Jerseys , discreditable behavior includes breaking approval rules, falsifying information and cheating on capital transfers.


A credit record will be set up, with credit-loss corporate activities tracked and published.




BUDAPEST, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has vowed to bring cooperation between China and the 16 Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) and relations between China and Hungary to a higher level.


Li made the statement in an article published on the newspaper The Hungarian Times before attending the sixth meeting of heads of government of China and the CEEC on Nov. 26-29 in Budapest and paying an official visit to Hungary.


"This is an important meeting held at the fifth anniversary of the launching of China-CEEC cooperation (16+1 cooperation). I'm looking forward to the meeting and the visit," Li said.


Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in May the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Li said he is full of confidence about China-Hungary relations and the prospect of China-CEEC cooperation.


The premier recalled that the first China-CEEC economic and trade forum was held in Budapest in 2011 and, a year later Cheap NCAA Jerseys , the 17 countries established a new trans-regional cooperation platform, called the 16+1 cooperation.


Over the five years, the 16+1 cooperation has been growing and the mechanism improving, bringing about remarkable progress to cooperation in all fields, Li said.


Political mutual trust between China and the CEEC countries has been deepened, with the two sides having established cooperation mechanisms in about 20 areas, he said.


Economic cooperation has been growing steadily Cheap College Jerseys Free Shipping , with bilateral trade increasing to 58.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 from 43.9 billion dollars in 2010 and the completion of a number of landmark infrastructure projects, said the premier.


People-to-people exchanges have been strengthened in the fields of education, culture, health, tourism, media, think tank Cheap Sports College Jerseys , political party and youth, and at local levels, he said.


After a great start, the 16+1 cooperation demands a new direction and new momentum, the premier said, adding that he will work with CEEC leaders to review what the two sides have achieved in the five years and draw a blueprint for the future.


On China-Hungary ties, Li said both countries are beneficiaries and supporters of economic globalization Cheap New College Jerseys , and it is in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries to stick to trade and investment liberalization and facil. Cheap Jerseys China Online Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys China Cheap College Jerseys Cheap Shirts Cheap NHL Jerseys Shop Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap MLB Hats Cheap Hats