The fifth China Organic Food Fair opened Sunday in Qiqihar of Heilongjiang province in Northeast China . The five-day event, cosponsored by China 's Agriculture Ministry and Heilongjiang provincial government, provides 520 booths, and the exhibition covers 4,000 square meters of floor space, according to sources with the provincial government. With "Green, Health, Cooperation and Hope" as its theme, the fair is expected to lure nearly 400 enterprises from more than ten countries to show their products featuring health. Qiqihar , known as one of the world's major habitats of red-crowned cranes, also ranks as one of China 's organic food bases. The last four fairs were staged in Qiqihar beginning from 2001.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2005 ) (Extract)