BEIJING - Trade and cooperation contracts worth 1.28 billion yuan ($203 million) were signed between farm produce enterprises and distributors from home and abroad at an ongoing industry expo, the Ministry of Agriculture said Sunday.

Fifty-five contracts have been inked at a green food expo being held in Shanghai, covering a number of food products, including rice, liquor, meat, honey, fruits and vegetables, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

China is expected to have more than 48,000 firms and specialized farmer cooperatives producing pollution-free food, green food, organic food and farm produce of geographical indications by the end of the year, ministry official Zhang Yuxiang said at the expo.

Promoting such food production is an inevitable choice for the country as it endeavors to enhance the quality of farm produce and ensure safety for domestic consumption, Zhang said.

The expo, which is running from Friday to Monday, has attracted 603 exhibitors and nearly 1,000 overseas and domestic purchasers, according to the ministry.