Sacks of rice with the label “Love From Taiwan” have been shipped to 17 countries this year as part of much-needed aid for regions around the world that have been hit by famines and disasters, Agriculture and Food Agency officials said.
The government in cooperation with international charity organizations has shipped 21,200 tonnes of rice this year, all from domestic production, as part of an international humanitarian aid program, agency deputy director Huang Chao-hsing (黃昭興) said on Wednesday.
“Our traditional main crop is rice, and we have two rice harvests each year. However, due to the change in people’s dietary habits, Taiwan has had a surplus of rice over the past few decades,” Huang said.
Photo courtesy of the Agriculture and Food Agency
The Council of Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2002 started international humanitarian aid programs, and have since then shipped 468,000 tonnes of rice to 45 countries hit by war, floods and drought, he said.
“We have provided rice as food relief, while ensuring it would not impact Taiwan’s food security nor affect international grain trade,” Huang said, adding that the nation does not ask for payment for aid.
The agency this year collaborated with the foreign affairs ministry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) — such as the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, World Vision Taiwan and Good Neighbors Taiwan — and other charities to ship rice labeled “Love From Taiwan” to 17 countries, he said.
“Our agency mainly provides food relief through rice, and we monitor the shipping overseas to ensure it reaches people in need through the assistance of NGOs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officers,” Huang said. “Many of them risk their own lives to go to these places and hand out rice from Taiwan.”
Depending on local conditions, Taiwanese relief workers would either hand out rice, food rations and other necessities directly, or cook the food and then provide meals, he said.
Rice has been handed out to elderly people, orphans, school kids, people with disabilities and those who need long-term care to help alleviate hunger in struggling countries, he added.
“Aside from supplying rice as humanitarian relief, Taiwan is also making waves in rice exports,” Huang said, adding that the nation would expand rice exports to other countries if it does not impact domestic food security.
“Taiwan this year achieved good sales in exports to Japan, so we will continue to consolidate the Japanese market next year,” he said.
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