As core components of the machines are seriously worn after years of use, hazards lurk inside these shoddy commodities. They can cause fire, injury or death.

Producers of these fake home appliances are not necessarily illegal enterprises.

The fact they are sold in regular shops in tandem with genuine brands indicate these companies are also legally registered.

The problem lies in how they passed quality examinations to be granted a license to be sold in exclusive shops for the government subsidy scheme.

Solutions lie with local authorities.

Manufacturers of shoddy and fake products are mostly small companies that contribute significantly to local revenues. This contribution is very important to the growth of the local economy, which matters greatly to officials' work performance.

The officials also attach great importance to the companies' employment of local workers.

Criteria to gauge local officials' administrative performances are divided into two categories - the so-called "hard" ones, such as economic development; and the "soft" ones, such as environment protection.

The first category is called "hard" because they are more tangible and instantly effective; the second group is "soft" because they need longer to manifest, usually longer than a local leader's tenure.

Gross domestic product (GDP) growth and employment are the two major hard indices. Local officials tend to give most of their concerns to these two indices. That explains why they favor local industrial enterprises and tend to protect them.

In the case of farmers being cheated with fake home appliances, local governments should not limit the punishment to mere financial penalties but should rather revoke licenses in the event of violations. For these counterfeit producers should be eradicated to protect farmers' consumer rights.

Only by eliminating such frauds can a healthy and favorable environment for development emerge.

And this will be a real boost to the local economy.

E-mail: liushinan@chinadaily.com.cn

About the author:

劉式南 高級編輯。1968年畢業于武漢華中師范學院（現華中師范大學）英文系。1982年畢業于北京體育學院（現北京體育大學）研究生院體育情報專業。1982年進入中國日報社，先后擔任體育記者、時政記者、國際新聞編輯、要聞版責任編輯、發稿部主任、《上海英文星報》總編輯、《中國商業周刊》總編輯等職。現任《中國日報》總編輯助理及專欄作家。1997年獲國務院“特殊貢獻專家政府津貼”。2000年被中華全國新聞工作者協會授予“全國百佳新聞工作者”稱號。2006年獲中國新聞獎二等獎（編輯）。

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