Jeff Leal(middle), minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Michael Chan(left), Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International trade, visited a vegetable greenhouse in Shouguang, Shandong, during the 16th China International Vegetable Sci-Tech Fair.

A government delegation representing Ontario's leading innovative farming and food processing technology saw investment opportunities in Chinese market.

The Ontario group recently attended an international vegetable technology fair in Shouguang, a city in East China's Shandong province, known for its greenhouse vegetable production.

Since 2000, the China (Shouguang) International Vegetable Sci-Tec Fair has been co-hosted by several of China's ministries, including agriculture, commerce and science and technology. It is the largest of its kind in China.

From April 20 to May 30, 40 countries and regions attended the 16th annual fair to promote their new vegetable and fruit products, technologies and related agriculture services.

Jeff Leal, minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Michael Chan, minister of the Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade, led the Ontario delegation.

Deputy ministers, agricultural specialists and policy advisors from Ontario, and the trade representatives from Ontario office in Beijing met their Chinese counterparts during the fair.

Leal, who was keynote speaker at the opening ceremony of the fair, said Ontario products, such as wine, meat and vegetable, will be available on China's online shopping websites soon.

"Shandong and Ontario have a close trade relationship and a good prospect on agriculture and food cooperation, said Chan. "Qingdao beer is welcomed in Canada."

A delegation that consists of government officials and food and agricultural technology companies from Shandong, have been invited by the Ontario government and will visit Canada next month.

"Ontario is also investment ready," said Song Yijun, the counselor of Ontario Office in Beijing. "When you are looking to do business or when you are looking to buy safe, quality food for your family, think of Ontario, Canada. We are a world leader of food processing with highest food safety and quality standards," said Song.

"Ontario has developed technology on greenhouse technology and management that could be introduced to China," he added.

Ontario is the largest provincial exporter of processed agri-food products in Canada, the second largest food distribution hub in North America.

Ontario's agriculture and food sector is worth more than CAD$34 billion and the total sales to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong reached CAD$832 million last year.