President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday promised to establish a major cultured grouper industry and to initiate a “grouper festival” to further introduce the nation’s grouper farming businesses to the world.
Inviting a cultured grouper farmer in Pingtung to discuss the future of the industry following the signing of the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), Ma said the grouper industry produced NT$1.4 billion (US$43 million) in revenues last year, enormous growth from the NT$2.7 million the industry made in 2007, thanks to cross-strait direct flight services.
“The grouper industry has been growing significantly since the launch of direct flight services and the opening up of 11 harbors in China this year ... We believe the grouper industry will produce more revenue as groupers will be given zero-tariff treatment under the ECFA,” Ma said in his weekly online speech.
Groupers — which are mainly raised in Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties — were included on Taiwan’s “early harvest” list of goods and services that will enjoy preferential tariff treatment under the ECFA.
The Ma administration has predicted that Taiwan will become the largest source of grouper in the world.
The grouper farmer from Pingtung, Dai Kun-tsai (戴昆財), told Ma that the high quality of the fish and the zero-tariff treatment are expected to increase the economic potential of the product in the post-ECFA era, and he suggested that the government establish a “grouper festival” to promote the development of the industry.
Ma said the government should be able to organize a festival next year and that it would invite local and foreign grouper farmers to take part in the event.
Continuing his ECFA promotional tour, Ma yesterday visited two companies in Taipei County. He said the government will seek to sign further trade deals after the successful signing of the ECFA.
“We want to make friends and make money, not make war with other countries,” Ma said after visiting the two companies.
Ma defended his administration’s focus on the development of economic ties with China, saying the ECFA would prompt other countries to sign similar agreements with Taiwan.
“Whether we like it or not, we cannot deny or ignore the fact that mainland China has turned from a world factory into a world market,” he said.
The president promised to sign economic pacts with other countries and lower tariffs to seek better economic cooperation with other nations, and to create more opportunities for local businesses in the Chinese market.
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