Miaoli County Government Press Release: 112/11/19
Press Section, General Affairs Department: Ms. Huang Jia-yi
TEL: 037-559329
The Organic Eco-friendly Rice and Agricultural Products Marketing Event organized by the Yuanli Township Office was held on November 19 at the dormitories of Shanjiao Elementary School, which were built in the post-Japanese colonial period. The activities included a local organic “rice” market, free food, agriculture education experience, and local specialty rice food tasting, in addition to band performances, a magic show, bubble show, and balloon show, attracting many local residents.
The event organizer, the Mayor of Yuanli Township Office, Liu Yu-yu, and his team members, Magistrate Chung Tung-chin, County Councilors Zhang Gu-li and Chen Pin-an, Chairperson of Township Council Hong Huang-qi and Vice Chairperson Lin Jun-ting, as well as several neighborhood representatives, local school principals, and members of Northern Region Branch, Agricultural and Food Agency, MOA, all attended the event. The Mayor of Yuanli Township, Liu Yu-yu, expressed his gratitude to everyone for participating in the event on such a wonderful day. Due to the unique geographical conditions of Yuanli Township, Koshihikari rice is grown and exported overseas. The Township Office organized the promotional event during the harvest season to integrate it with food and agriculture education for the public to experience the wisdom of rural farmers in the market. The Yuanli Township Office will also continue to organize promotional events, allowing consumers to meet the producers directly so that they are able to purchase safe and delicious agricultural products.
Magistrate Chung Tung-chin stated that the arable land area in Miaoli County is not large. The rice planting area in Yuanli Township is about 1,800 hectares, but it is Miaoli’s granary. The Farmers’ Association of the township ranks first among others in Miaoli County. There are about 109 hectares of organic rice fields in Miaoli County currently. Yuanli Township accounts for 78.47 hectares. He truly appreciates the Farmers’ Association for the proactive promotion of eco-friendly farming. Regarding the farmers’ concerns about the cancellation of regional rotating irrigation system that had left farmers unable to hand in public stock paddy, County Legislator Chen Chao-ming reported the issue to the Ministry of Agriculture. He then assured the acquisition of the first crop rice. He said that he grew up in the village and served as the Chairman of the Nanzhuang Township Farmers’ Association for two terms in the past, and he considers agricultural related policies, such as the acquisition price of public stock paddy and the increase in welfare allowance for elderly farmers, to be very important.
Chung Tung-chin also stated that due to changes of modern people’s eating habits, rice intake in general has dropped. Some people do not even eat half a bowl of rice in one meal. In addition to organizing rice promotion activities and implementing regional rotating irrigation, he also hopes that the Farmers’ Association can promote the planting of other crops, such as Dan Shen, so that the Miaoli County Government, township and city offices, and Farmers’ Association can work together to implement policies that truly take care of farmers and the effectiveness of arable land in Yuanli Township is maximized.
The Agriculture Department of Miaoli County Government stated that the current cultivation area of organic eco-friendly rice in Yuanli Township is approximately 78.47 hectares, and there are 24 farmers planting organic eco-friendly rice. Local elements including traditional rice food culture as well as humanity and creative industry were combined to advertise the local organic rice industry. Rice food and agricultural products were also advertised and promoted through exhibitions, and a series of performances, shows, family-friendly rice DIY activities, and rice snack giveaways were also on offer during the event. Visitors also enjoyed the local styles and customs of Yuanli Township in old Japanese-style houses and under the shade of green trees.