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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Tsai vows farming support
President Tsai Ing-wen yesterday speaks at an event in Taipei promoting locally grown rice. Photo: CNA
By Chen Cheng-yu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Taiwan’s agricultural exports reached a historic high last year despite a spate of import restrictions from China, President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） said yesterday in her first appearance with Premier Su Tseng-chang （蘇貞昌） following the Nov. 22 local elections.
Tsai made the remark at a news conference promoting domestically grown rice held by the Council of Agriculture in Taipei.
China on Dec. 8 suspended imports from 2,409 Taiwanese companies.
Taiwan’s agricultural exports were worth US$5.67 billion last year, the highest volume of agricultural trade on record, Tsai said.
The nation also expanded agricultural trade with Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan the Philippines and South Korea in a bid to diversify its market and reduce dependence on China, she said.
The government is prepared to implement policies to protect Taiwanese farmers when instability affects export markets, she said, adding that losses would be mitigated, if not fully compensated.
The Council of Agriculture continually boosts the competitiveness of Taiwanese rice growers through agricultural research, rice farmers’ natural disaster insurance and certification programs, she said.
In May, Tsai’s office promulgated the Food and Agricultural Education Act （食農教育法）, which aims to encourage the consumption of local produce, preserve Taiwanese cuisine and promote knowledge of nutrition, she said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the global food supply chain, highlighting the strategic value of domestic rice production, she said.
Taiwanese should support domestic rice producers by buying local rice products such as rice crackers and cakes, which helps protect the nation’s food supply, economic growth and sustainable agriculture, Tsai said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
