(Yicai Global) Sept. 10 -- The Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange, one of China's main platforms for trading agricultural futures, is pondering the introduction of new contracts for jujube, urea, coffee and peanuts, according to its president.

The exchange, based in the capital of east-central Henan province, now lists contracts for methyl alcohol, cotton, purified terephthalic acid and steam coal for heat and power generation along with 14 other futures, Chen Huaping said at a forum held yesterday.

Opened in October 1990, the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange was the country's first pilot futures market, according to its website.

It is also mulling more options for cotton and PTA among other products, Chen said, adding the exchange will also open further by offering PTA products to overseas traders.

Jujubes, also known as Chinese dates, are the fruit of a species of buckthorn tree. Urea is a colorless nitrogen compound in mammal urine used as a fertilizer and feed supplement, as well as a base for plastics and medicine. PTA is an ingredient in polyester fiber, bottle resin and film, public information shows.

Editor: Ben Armour