Abstract
Although there is great concern regarding the quality and safety of foods and agricultural products imported from P. R. China, we do not have enough information and knowledge about the actual conditions of agricultural production and food supply in China. Because the area of land in China is so vast, conditions are highly variable. It is necessary to know the geographical patterns of such conditions in order to have a better understanding of the features of imported foods and products from the country. In keeping with this, the author would like to show the results of his research in China to contribute to a growing understanding. Agricultural production in China has increased gradually since the 1960s, especially of fruits, vegetables and animal products where a radical increase has been seen since the 1990s. During this process, there have been changes in the geographical patterns of producing regions such as a rise in the number of newly developed producing regions and the replacement of leading regions over a short time. This is quite a contrast to grain crops and industrial crops where changes in their geographical patterns have been slow. In addition to this, the patterns of the producing regions differ from the geographical pattern of market transactions within China and that of foreign exports from China according to China's province-wise statistics of domestic market and international trade.
