The Taipei Hope Plaza Farmers’ Market is to open from today to Thursday, the Agriculture and Food Agency said yesterday, adding that the market would have fresh produce, meat and seafood from across the nation.
The measure was in response to surging demand for agricultural and fishery products ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which starts on Sunday, it said.
The event is expected to generate more than NT$20 million (US$631,353) in revenue, agency Deputy Director Huang Chao-hsing (黃昭興) said during a news conference promoting the market.
Photo courtesy of the Agriculture and Food Agency
Up to 91 stalls would be set up at the market, and customers would be able to make “one-stop purchases” for vegetables, fruits, meat and seafood sourced from different parts of Taiwan, he said.
Food and agriculture education, as well as hands-on activities, would be provided at some stalls, which could be fun for parents and children, Huang said, adding that there would also be lucky draws, spring couplet giving and limited-edition lucky bags.
The agency said it also invited chef Tsai Chi-fang (蔡季芳), better known as Master A-fang (阿芳老師), to show how atemoyas could be used as a sauce along with lemon juice to improve the flavor of savory dishes.
She also recommended grating tangerine zest on sliced atemoyas when eating them to “add a festive flavor of the Lunar new year,” the agency said.
Atemoyas are in season and are in their peak production period, which runs from December through April every year, it added.
The total harvested area of atemoyas nationwide was 2,454 hectares from last year to this year, of which Taitung County accounted for 99 percent, the agency said, adding that the projected yield is about 12,761 tonnes.
The yield of atemoyas was lower in November and December last year compared with previous years due to the impact of Typhoon Podul, which led to a postponement of exportation, the agency said.
Peak harvesting time for atemoyas is around the Spring Festival, it added.
Atemoya exports were also hit by China’s 20 percent tariffs, which stack on top of a 9 percent value-added tax, the agency said.
The Taitung County Government has been developing other overseas atemoya consumer markets, such as Singapore.
Cumulative sales to Singapore over the past three years have already reached more than 16,000kg, after they were officially made available in supermarkets run by DFI Retail Group, the county government said on Sunday last week.
Additional reporting by CNA
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