Officials from Taiwan and the Philippines on Friday broke ground on a demonstration mushroom farm in Baguio City as part of a collaboration to increase awareness about Taiwan’s agricultural development and mushroom industry in the Southeast Asian nation.
The project, the first of its kind between the two countries, is to transfer knowledge about the cultivation of button mushrooms to the Philippines, while exploring export opportunities for Taiwanese agricultural equipment and material.
Representative to the Philippines Michael Hsu (徐佩勇) said that the farm was conceived when Philippine officials at a bilateral meeting last year expressed a desire to learn from Taiwan’s mushroom industry.
The Council of Agriculture deployed a team of experts to the Philippines to scout locations for a demonstration farm, Hsu said, adding that Baguio was chosen because of its ideal climate.
The city lies at a higher altitude and previously served as a US hill station.
The farm would help local farmers improve their production capacities, while creating a window of opportunity for Taiwanese suppliers of materials and equipment for mushroom cultivation, he said.
Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute Director Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季), who also attended the event, said that demand for button mushrooms in the Philippines is especially high.
The farm would help local farmers generate more revenue through increased production, Chen said, adding that it would also help create new job opportunities for local residents, because harvesting button mushrooms is labor intensive.
Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry Director George Culaste and Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan Vice Chairman Gilberto Lauengco were among the officials to attend the ceremony.
Construction of the farm is to be completed by June.
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