After a year of effort, a group of 15 rice farmers in Taitung County reaped the results of their hard work yesterday after the Fu Luh (福鹿) organic rice they grow won recognition from the international certification group, GLOBALGAP.
“Everything on a lengthy road is worthwhile,” said Tu Chin-jung (涂進榮), a local farmer who led 14 colleagues to cultivate the organic high-end rice in cooperation with the Council of Agriculture.
GLOBALGAP
Tu was speaking after a ceremony at a rice promotion center in Luye Township (鹿野), where he received GLOBALGAP’s certification for the rice from Chao Shao-wei (曹紹微), director of the council’s eastern Taiwan branch.
“It is a great honor for local Fu Luh rice farmers to gain top-shelf international certification,” Chao said.
“For an illiterate man like me and my partners, winning the GLOBALGAP means we can finally reach out to the world in addition to serving local consumers,” he said.
GLOBALGAP certification is mandatory for exports to the EU.
STRINGENT
The group of Taitung farmers produces some 82 tonnes of Fu Luh rice per year, which is provided exclusively to the MOS Burger fast food franchise.
Ivor Lin (林睿富), manager of SGS Taiwan Ltd, which supervises GLOBALGAP accreditation for agricultural goods, said the screening and certification process is extremely stringent and complies with the highest global standards.
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