JINAN — China's Shandong province saw record exports of agricultural produce in 2020, local authorities have said.

Shandong's exports of agricultural produce grew 1.9 percent year-on-year to a record annual high of more than 125.7 billion yuan (around $19.4 billion) in 2020, accounting for 23.9 percent of the country's total exports of such goods.

The province has been China's biggest exporter of agricultural produce for 22 consecutive years, Zhang Yibing, deputy director of Jinan Customs, told a press conference on Jan 18.

Its exports of such goods to countries along the Belt and Road increased by 13.9 percent year-on-year.

Shandong's high-quality agricultural development and diversified international markets contributed to its record exports, said Zhang.