Experts say China, with its almost endless supply of cheap labor, could dominate in products that require intensive manual labor to grow or prepare green vegetables, nuts, fruit or dressed meats like shrimp or chicken.

The exports could help offset an expected influx of wheat, corn and soybeans from countries with large, mechanized farms, such as the United States.

"China has great potential. Anything that is labor-intensive, you can do cheaper here. Not just computers and clothes, but broccoli and oranges, too," said Li Xiaoming, deputy director of Anhui Agricultural University, in the central city of Hefei.

But experts say China has many problems to overcome before it can become a real global player.

One is primitive roads and infrastructure, especially in its vast interior. Another is inferior quality: Many fruit and nut growers will have to rip out entire orchards and start from scratch because of poorly shaped and tasteless produce.

Then there's the growing concern overseas about pesticide overuse. Japan �V China's largest overseas market for farm goods �V ordered expensive inspections of Chinese broccoli and other produce in January after finding pesticides that exceeded safe levels. Experts estimate broccoli sales to Japan could fall to less than half of last year's $15 million.

"Chinese farmers thought these chemicals were miracle drugs," said Richard Herzfelder, vice president of China Food & Agricultural Services, a Shanghai-based research and consulting company.

Most of China's exports come from coastal areas, which enjoy better roads and proximity to ports. These areas are already switching to vegetable and fruit production to meet rising demand from prosperous coastal cities such as Shanghai.

Lagging behind are the poorer "breadbasket" provinces of central and northeast China, where most of the country's wheat and corn is grown.