The Executive Yuan needs to set aside NT$120 billion in its budget planning for the next four years to restructure the agricultural sector after Taiwan enters the WTO, said Chen Hsi-huang (陳希煌), chairman of the Council of Agriculture.
As the agricultural sector may be one of the hardest hit sectors, the agricultural official said that the Cabinet is required to use its reserve fund to help farmers endure the impact if membership in the world trading body is realized before the end of this year.
In the next three budget years, he suggested that NT$30 billion be set aside each year as compensation to farmers whose operations have succumbed to lower-priced imports.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
He said that Taiwan is likely to be admitted to the WTO this November.
Chang declined to make any promises regarding financial support, but emphasized that it was important for the government to keep open communication channels with the agricultural sector, and farmers personally, so that they would be clear on government policy.
Together with the Board of Foreign Trade and agricultural associations, the council has organized a series of symposiums for farmers to advise them of the government's measures to minimize the loss to the local agricultural sector.
An agricultural official estimates that the impact of the WTO may endanger the livelihood of some 10,000 farmers. An urgent task is to provide vocational training to those in farming so that they may find employment in other sectors should they be forced out of their current profession.
The Council of Agriculture has set aside NT$900 million from its fiscal 2000 budget for job training programs for farmers. However, the restructuring program will not be easy, considering the high percentage of elderly in the agricultural sector.
A report by the Council of Agriculture shows that more than 30 percent of the operators of small farms are over 65, and senior citizens account for 14 percent of the overall agricultural population.
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