■ CRIME
Fake bags prove costly
The Intellectual Property Court ruled that a woman must pay Hermes International SCA NT$256 million (US$7.5 million) for selling four fake Hermes handbags, local media reported yesterday. The amount is the highest compensation sought by the court in a violation of intellectual property rights, reports said. The court made the ruling recently after the Paris-based luxury goods manufacturer sued the woman, surnamed Lee, 41. The sum reflects the maximum fine for violating intellectual property rights — 500 times the value of the goods sold. Lee, a former sales clerk for Hermes Taiwan, bought four fake Hermes’ Birkin handbags and sold them through two second-hand shops in Taiwan, splitting the profits with the shop owners, media reports said.
■ TOURISM
Taichung travel fair opens
The 2009 Taichung International Travel Fair opened at the Taichung World Trade Center yesterday with a wide variety of discount travel packages on offer. This year’s fair is the largest ever, with 300 exhibitors and an additional 50 booths outside. Local and foreign tourism bureaus, airline companies, travel agencies, hotels, holiday resorts, theme parks, cruise liners and city and county governments are all exhibiting. Vistors found plenty of deals to choose from. Among them: a three-day trip to Hong Kong for NT$5,988 and a six-day excursion to Australia’s Gold Coast for NT$19,800. The fair runs through Monday.
■ AGRICULTURE
Orange demand plummets
Farmers in Taitung County are concerned about plummeting demand for their oranges, the local farmers’ association said yesterday. Association officials said orders for tangerines and Valencia oranges have fallen by some 70 percent. Taitung farmers had a bumper crop of Valencia oranges this spring but half the fruit remains unharvested and prices have fallen to NT$100 for 3.5kg, said Donghe farmers’ association officials.
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