Investigation on panic salt buying continues(英语阅读)

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Investigation on panic salt buying continues
Japan's nuclear crisis was followed by a salt buying panic in China. News spread quickly on China's Internet and in mobile chartrooms that supplies could be contaminated by radiation, instigating worried shoppers to clear the product from the country's shop shelves.
Last week, a rumor began that Japan's nuclear leak would contaminate the sea off east China's Shandong Province. It advised people to stock up on salt, and not to eat seafood for a year.
The rumor was spread quickly online from Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, by someone surnamed Chen who worked at an IT company. Word went round online, by phone and SMS.
People in costal areas such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai, then rushed out to buy up supplies, pushing up the price tenfold, before the panic spread inland.
The panic buying also rippled onto the stock market, pushing up the share price of salt producers.
Experts say there are many factors behind the panic.
First, the Internet and telecoms offer rapid way of spreading rumors. By the end of last year, China had 457 million netizens, almost 800 million cell phone users and 303 million mobile netizens.
Second, faced with mixed and conflicting messages, many people's judgment becomes clouded, and they may ignore official advice. For instance, many people panic-bought certain medicines and Iodine salt during the SARS epidemic, and garlic during the H1N1 flu scare.
Others suggest the salt industry itself plays up on people's fears to sell more of the product and boost their share price. The five companies whose share price rose the most were in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces, where the panic buying began. Although there is no enough evidence of them controlling the stock market, the share price rise is seen as connected to the panic buying, and an investigation is continuing.
Radiation found in food, water and milk near Fukushima The Japanese authorities have urged people to stop eating certain foods originating from the area near Fukushima. Unsafe radiation levels have been found in 11 types of vegetables grown near the nuclear plant, as well as in milk and water.
Although traces of radiation surpassing safety limits have already been found in milk and water around the Daiichi plant, officials insist there is no danger to humans and have urged the world not to over react.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said, "Unfortunately, we are expecting this situation to last longer than expected, so in order to prevent any possible damage from an early stage, we have put a ban on shipping of radiation contaminated vegetables to reduce human contact with harmful substances."
At this small vegetable store in downtown Tokyo, vegetables grown in Ibaraki prefecture were still being sold, and shoppers say they are not overly worried.
Housewife Chizuko Saito said, "I think it should be fine if I wash it properly before eating, but if I can find spinach from a different prefecture, I may buy it instead."
Worsened by a widespread lack of understanding of the technicalities of radiation, public concern over the situation is high around the world and radioactive particles have been detected as far away as Iceland.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced it is stopping imports of milk, vegetables and fruit from four prefectures in Japan's northeast.
South Korea may be next and France this week asked the European Commission to look into harmonizing controls on radioactivity in imports from Japan.
Although there has been progress in restoring power to the Fukushima site 13 days after the accident, more time is needed to stabilize the reactors.
Beijing faces water crisis
Beijing's water shortage is reaching a crisis. A twelve-year drought is making the relatively dry capital even more water-starved. The Miyun reservoir, which is the only supplier of drinking water to the capital, is only able to meet the needs of half of the residents in the city. CCTV reporter Zhang Nini went on a recent field study to find out more about the problem.
Seventy kilometers away from downtown Beijing, is Miyun County. It rests on the Chaobai River. This was the source of water for Beijing. But underneath the ripples is water from the nearby Miyun Waste Water Disposable Factory. Fish can no longer survive here.
Here we came across 65-year-old Zhao Yun. He comes every day to net out the dead fish, and recalls the days when locals could enjoy the "luxury" of an occasional flood.
Zhao Yun, Miyun resident said "I still remember when I was 12-years-old, whenever there was a flood, we all rushed to the banks to see the spectacle. The river would stretch hundreds of meters, and the water seemed to meet the skyline."
As a result, the environment deteriorates substantially, leaving riverbed gravel exposed and sand scattered everywhere by the wind.
Local farmers drive their flock of sheep to nibble away at the last remnants of grass here. Plants, commonly seen in deserts began to grow on the barren riverbed.
Longjing Tea reaches record high price
In the East China's city of Hangzhou, the price of locally packaged Longjing Tea has reached a new high. Its producers say the quality is well worth the steep price tag, but critics claim it is just a marketing ploy.
Starting this Friday, tea farmers in Hangzhou will start harvesting Longjing. It's one of China's most prestigious teas, and this year, the price of the most refined Longjing has reached 60 thousand yuan per kilo.
Zhu Baichang, Longjing Tea Group said "We have the best Longjing in China, and we select one kilo from every 8 kilos. We also have a very elegant package to go with the tea."
Zhu says the tea is purchased from the leading tea farms in China at a price of 6 thousand yuan per kilo. Before packaging, each leaf is selected manually to ensure uniformity in appearance and weight.
"We also have strict rules in the color, neither too green nor too yellow; we will ensure that the selected tea is the most refined."
Anyone who wants to taste the best Longjing tea has to order in advance. And orders have already been placed on all 150 boxes.
Experts say the whopping tea price is just a marketing strategy.
Xu Nanmei, Analyst of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences said psychologically, people will strive for the expensive and rare things. It is just a marketing strategy. Actually, regular Longjing also tastes good.
Regular fresh Longjing Tea comes with a price tag of around 4 to 6 thousand yuan per kilo. Xu suggests people wanting a bargain wait for the price to start dropping in May.。

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