China issued its nutrition industry index for the first time Tuesday at the Second China Nutrition Industry Forum in Beijing.

In 2005, the comprehensive index for China's nutrition industry reaches 154.2, and the index for demand is 192.3, said Zeng Hongying with Public Nutrition and Development Center (PNDC), adding that 100 is the dividing line, beyond which the industry is in a prosperous level.

The nutrition industry index is significant in its reference to government policy, institute research and enterprise strategy concerning public nutrition.

In 2003, the Chinese people's per capita nutritional products was American people's 5.11 percent and Europeans' 15.52 percent, much lower than the world's average, said Zhou Haichun, vice director with the PNDC at the forum.

"Now China's nutrition industry is promising and it will grow at a rate of 12 percent to 15 percent. By 2010, the gross products of China's nutrition industry will total 278 billion yuan (34.3 billion US dollars)," said Zhou.

The two-day forum, cosponsored by PNDC, Asian Development Bank and 15 others, aims at promoting public nutrition and developing China's nutrition industry.

Source: Xinhua