The Cabinet yesterday passed a proposal to promote sophisticated agriculture, with the goal of doubling the niche market’s output value to NT$158.9 billion (US$4.79 billion) and creating 31,000 jobs within four years.
The proposal suggests promoting “health agriculture,” with a view to boost the percentage of toxin and pesticide-free farming land from 3 percent of total arable land to 6 percent.
The second part of the proposal would promote Taiwan’s agricultural biotechnology on the global market. The COA said it expected the global market’s value to grow from US$37.4 billion in 2007 to US$63 billion in 2013.
Council of Agriculture (COA) Deputy Minister Hu Sing-hwa (胡新華) said Taiwan was already a global leader in the field.
Hu said the proposal reflected a shift in agricultural policy from focusing on production to promoting a high-standard of living.
“Farmers were the only focus of policies for high-quality agriculture under former administrations, but our proposal aims to benefit everyone,” Hu said.
The government would earmark NT$6.833 billion over a four-year period to establish Taiwan as a global logistics center for the orchid market, expand the overseas market for grouper fish, set up centers for incubation of livestock, aquaculture and agriculture, and create six enclosed farms for genetically modified crops.
The proposal also involves incorporating recreational activities into the sector, with a goal of attracting 30 million visits per year to rural villages by 2012.
Hu said the proposal included NT$15.908 billion to create three lowland-forest recreation areas covering more than 1,000 hectares each, to renovate more than 4,000 villages and to build two yacht harbors, two recreational fishing ports and four recreational agriculture areas.
‘FRIENDSHIP FLEET’: A CGA official is scheduled to meet with the president of the Pacific nation, while one of the ships is to host a banquet and National Day event Two Coast Guard Administration (CGA) patrol vessels have docked at Malakal Harbor in Palau as part of an expedition exercise and diplomatic visit, during which a senior official is expected to meet with Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr, the agency said yesterday. The two vessels, the 4,000-tonne-class Chiayi and the 1,000-tonne-class Penghu, set sail for Palau from Taiwan last week and arrived on Tuesday at Malakal Harbor, the CGA’s Fleet Branch said in a statement. The journey marks the second time the CGA has dispatched a “friendship fleet” to another country, after it sent its first-ever goodwill fleet, comprising the Hualien and
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) today said that two of its patrol vessels have docked at Palau's Malakal Harbor as part of an expedition exercise and diplomatic visit, during which a senior official is expected to meet with the Palauan president. The two vessels, the 4,000-tonne-class Chiayi (嘉義) and the 1,000-tonne-class Penghu (澎湖), set sail for Palau from Taiwan last week and arrived at Malakal Harbor yesterday, the CGA's Fleet Branch said in a statement. The journey marked the second time the CGA has dispatched a "Friendship Fleet" to another country, after it sent its first-ever goodwill fleet, comprising the Hualien (花蓮)
Had I Not Seen the Sun (如果我不曾見過太陽), a coming-of-age mystery romance, yesterday won best series at the Seoul International Drama Awards in South Korea. The show's producer, Phoebe Ma (麻怡婷), accepted the award on behalf of the production team. "Telling this story was difficult," Ma said. "There were moments when I doubted my strength to keep going, but I never doubted the story itself." Ma went on to thank the cast and crew of the show for making the win possible. Released in two parts on Netflix at the end of last year, the 20-episode drama starred Tseng Jing-hua (曾敬驊) and Alice Ko (柯佳嬿). The
DETAILED PLAN NEEDED: Relocating the airport would affect not just travelers, but also undermine national defense and emergency medical services, a legislator said Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday proposed relocating Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) and turning the site into an artificial intelligence (AI) park, drawing opposition from politicians across party lines. Chiang’s plan would turn the 300 hectares into an AI park featuring tech clusters, residential communities and green space. The industrial cluster would host 200 domestic enterprises, generate NT$12 trillion (US$376.47 billion) in output, and accommodate 65,000 jobs and 35,000 residents, he said. Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said the Executive Yuan was surprised by the announcement, as the Taipei City Government did not discuss the proposal with the central government before making
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