In a bid to promote agricultural products in southern Taiwan, the Kaohsiung County Government yesterday held activities to promote poultry products and honey made from longan flowers.
A series of activities for the 2004 Takangshan (
PHOTO: TSAI CHING-HUA, TAIPEI TIMES
The poem was written by the poet Lin Feng-chu (
"In combination with scenic Takangshan's cultural industries, the promotion of honey-related products will help farmers gain more profits," Yang said at the opening ceremony for the agricultural festival.
According to the Council of Agriculture (COA), honey-related products produced in five townships in the county deserve special attention because they were certified by the council. Farmers from Chiaotou and Kangshan townships received the Shennong Award (神農獎), which is the highest honor bestowed on an agricultural product.
County officials said that honey made from longan flowers has attracted local consumers for its quality, and the festival aims to promote ecotourism centered on honey production and bee farms.
"The festival aims to publicize the quality of domestically-produced honey, seeking possible overseas sales channels," Tai Chen-yao (
Three routes for tourists have been designated by the local government in a bid to promote ecotourism.
COA officials said that longan flowers blossom in March and April, and honey products are available in July. Other activities will be held in summer.
Meanwhile, the local government yesterday held a festival in which more than 20,000 residents cooked chickens in kilns in order to "wipe away the shadow of bird flu."
In the last two months, several chicken farms in the county were affected by the H5N2 strain of the bird flu virus.
More than 5,000 chickens were distributed to residents, who shared 5,000 kilns. Groups of four or five residents cooked chickens and sweet potatoes in a kiln.
The traditional activity was welcomed by residents of different ages.
Some government units established especially large kilns. Among them, a 3-meter-high kiln, which could accommodate a cow, became a focal point at the event.
Kaohsiung is only one of the counties affected by bird flu in Taiwan. Others are Changhua, Yunlin, Tainan and Pingtung. COA officials said that similar activities promoting poultry products will also be held in other counties in order to bring back consumer confidence.
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