VOA慢速英语2021--新冠危机引发中国食品供应链变化

China produces far more vegetables than any other country in the world. It has used greenhouses, special buildings for growing plants, for many years. But food supply problems created by coronavirus restrictions¹ have sped the development of high-tech² glass greenhouses in the country.

High-tech greenhouses

At Chongming Island near Shanghai, China's most populous³ city, workers collect tomatoes and cucumbers inside a new, glass greenhouse. The Dutch company FoodVentures operates the greenhouse. It began harvesting vegetables in May.

The greenhouse is one of many appearing near China's very large cities. These new structures use high-end technology to control water flow, temperature and lighting⁴ systems. The greenhouses grow vegetables within easy reach of a large and increasingly wealthy base of buyers.

Dirk Aleven is director of FoodVentures. Aleven noted⁵ the increase in demand for fresh food since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis. He told Reuters that in the past, fresh vegetables "were transported for thousands of kilometers, even within the borders of China."

"It is even more important now that fresh produce is produced at the spot where it's consumed," Aleven said.

Supply chain issues

Historically, China's vegetable production took place in a few areas and required a complex transport system to get the produce to markets in big cities.

That system faced major problems in 2020. Gayathree Ganesan of the Economist⁶ Intelligence Unit said the health crisis pushed the fresh food industry to change its supply chain system.

Built in or near cities to reduce distance to buyers, the new, high-tech greenhouses are usually cooperative businesses. Chinese companies work with greenhouse companies from the Netherlands, a leader in agriculture technology. The greenhouse near Shanghai is one co-op example.

Growth and the future

Greenhouses made of glass have seen an especially large increase in use.

The area used for glass greenhouses grew 28 percent in 2020, well above the 5.9 percent rise of 2019. In comparison, less costly⁷ plastic greenhouses saw six percent growth, reports Richland Sources, an agricultural support business.

Plastic greenhouses help protect crops, but are considered less efficient than glass greenhouses.

Greenhouse developers note that a growing number of wealthy Chinese seek better food produced with less chemical use. They are supporting the expanding greenhouse industry, the developers say.

Lim Xin Yi is executive director of sustainability at Pinduoduo, China's largest e-commerce system.

Lim noted that Chinese people are "buying more of their groceries online, and spending more on healthier choices" from food producers they trust.

Xu Dan, CEO of greenhouse operator Beijing HortiPolaris, said China could face some difficulties as it changes its farming and food supply system.

"The biggest challenges are people, people who have the knowledge to manage greenhouses to produce quality vegetables," he said. Xu added, "Most farmers are getting old and their way of production (is) also out of date, replacing such (a) big amount of farmers is really a big challenge."

Words in This Story

consume -- v. to eat or drink (something)

shortage – n. a state in which there is not enough of something that is needed

sustainability -- n. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources

efficient – adj. capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy

groceries – n. plural food sold by a grocer : food bought at a store

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

3 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

4 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

7 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。