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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 The Ministry of Agriculture honors frog farm founder
Ornamental frogs are pictured in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Full of Frogs Amphibians Farm
By Yang Yuan-ting and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Ministry of Agriculture yesterday honored a farmer whose ornamental and pet frogs have captured 70 percent of the US market.
Full of Frogs Amphibians Farm founder Chen Kuan-po （陳冠博）, who created Taiwan’s only registered frog-breeding farm, was among the awardees recognized by the ministry’s seventh commendation ceremony for the nation’s top 100 young farmers.
Chen said that amphibians have become the new fad for companion animals and pets, with frogs occupying a large part of the category.
Dogs and cats used to be the go-to choice for family pets, especially for those looking for a first pet, but frogs are becoming more prevalent, as they are easier to care for and do not make much noise, he said.
Pet motels are not needed for frogs, even if the family travels for extended periods, he said.
While men used to make up the majority of frog owners, more women began raising frogs as pets during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chen said.
However, most of the frogs obtained for such purposes are caught in the wild, contributing to undermining ecological health, he said.
With a background in aquatic veterinary medicine, Chen said the primary purpose of his farm was to eventually replace frogs captured in the wild.
The animals he bred were primarily sourced from other breeding farms or exported species, he said.
There is a substantial market for frog companions in Europe and the Americas, Chen said.
Both locations prefer bred frogs over captured ones, with some stores emphasizing that they only collaborate with breeding farms, he said.
Chen said his farm mainly exports to Europe and the Americas, adding that his farm-raised frogs dominate the US market with a 70 percent market share.
Also at the event, Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih （陳駿季） touted the ministry’s policies of increasing injury and illness compensation — with the new rules taking effect tomorrow — without putting additional burden on farmers.
The ministry had invited table tennis player Kao Cheng-jui （高承睿） to promote pomeloes ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, potentially augmenting sales and creating more profit for farmers, Chen Junne-jih said.
The ministry would follow this model and continue to ask athletes to promote agricultural goods, the minister added.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
