LA PAZ, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia on Friday began exporting organic quinoa to China, with the first 40 tons of the product from farms in the Bolivian highlands shipped via the Peruvian port of Ilo.

"This day is going to be historic, December 7 will be unforgettable for the producers of quinoa, because for the first time we are sending quinoa to China," said Bolivian President Evo Morales.

Morales arrived at the Sociedad Industrial Molinera Sociedad Anonima (Simsa) plant, in the city of La Paz, to witness the departure of the first half of the cargo.

Simsa will export 20 tons of red quinoa, while the Andean Valley company will carry out the shipment of 20 tons of red and black varieties of the so-called "golden grain."

All together, 15 companies have been authorized to sell the product to the Chinese market after they meet the plant-healthcare requirements.

Chinese Ambassador to Bolivia Liang Yu said the quinoa exports will strengthen the trade relations between China and Bolivia, saying this experience is fundamental for other Bolivian agricultural producers to enter the Chinese market.

Bolivian Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration Clarems Endara told Xinhua a few days ago that Bolivia's participation in the first China International Import Expo held in Shanghai on Nov. 5-10 demonstrated the qualities of this nutritional Bolivian ancestral food.