Scientists have developed a new variety of bruise-resistant strawberries that is likely to be available in stores this year, the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute said on Wednesday.
A variety called Tainung No. 1 (台農1號) was announced after a decade of cross-pollinating the Taoyuan No. 1 (桃園1號) — also known as the fenghsiang (豐香) — and perfume (香水) varieties, the institute said.
Taoyuan, the male parent of the new variety, is the most widely cultivated strawberry in Taiwan, institute director-general Lin Hsueh-shih (林學詩) said.
Photo: CNA
The popular variety originated in Europe, according to farmer lore, and is marked by robust health and high yield, although it has a light flavor, Lin said.
Assistant researcher Hsiao Yi-chu (蕭翌柱) used a perfume strawberry, which has a bold flavor, as the female parent to create a better-tasting hybrid, Lin said.
The new variety is also more resilient against mildew, he said.
The resulting fruit, which can be eaten fresh or processed, has a strong scent, vivid color and a firmness like sticky rice, he said.
One plant of the new variety can produce 950g of strawberries each season, less than perfume at 1.1kg, but more than Taoyuan at 800g, Lin said.
Agrotourism enterprises have been granted permission to grow the Tainung strawberries, which should create a nationwide harvest of about NT$1.4 billion (US$49.8 million), he said.
The Chin Lin Agrotourism Farm in Chiayi County and the Taiyi Eco-Recreational Farm in Nantou County are growing the berries on a combined area of 530 hectares, the institute said, adding that harvests are expected before the end of this year.
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting next month, Japanese sources said The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday. After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
STAY IN YOUR LANE: As the US and Israel attack Iran, the ministry has warned China not to overstep by including Taiwanese citizens in its evacuation orders The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday rebuked a statement by China’s embassy in Israel that it would evacuate Taiwanese holders of Chinese travel documents from Israel amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Iran. Tensions have risen across the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran beginning Saturday. China subsequently issued an evacuation notice for its citizens. In a news release, the Chinese embassy in Israel said holders of “Taiwan compatriot permits (台胞證)” issued to Taiwanese nationals by Chinese authorities for travel to China — could register for evacuation to Egypt. In Taipei, the ministry yesterday said Taiwan
RSS