The Council of Agriculture indicated that, in order to enable consumers to learn more about the high quality, fresh, safe and palatable characteristics of Taiwan fruits, establish a market distinct from that of imported fruits and promote the consumption of quality Taiwan fruits, it had conducted an election event of the 2007 Ten Best Taiwan Fruits from July through October, 2007. Cities and counties nationwide recommended 30 indigenous fruits to be entered as candidates in the on-line election and, after four months of vote-casting, the vote counts accumulated to be 1.69 million. The fruits picked out to be the ten best Taiwan fruits are strawberry, mango, wax apple, sugar apple, pear, lichee, grape, banana, watermelon and pineapple. COA held a public lucky draw event as well as a result-announcement conference in the auditorium on the fifth floor of COA on 29 November.

COA made it clear that the idea behind the election event of 2007 Ten Best Taiwan Fruits is primarily to highlight and promote the Taiwan fruits most favored by the people. During the campaign period from July to 31 October, 2007, city and prefectural governments, town halls and farmers’ organizations, without any exception, spared no pains in promoting the high quality fruits they recommended and encouraged actively townspeople to go on line to cast their votes, which gave rise to waves after waves of voting activities. The on-line election event well participated and supported by people had been concluded at midnight on 31 October, 2007, and ten best fruits were picked out. COA was obliged to express its heart-felt gratitude for people’s enthusiastic participation and support. As for the alleged unfairness as reported in the newspapers, due to its having taken into consideration the potential problems of multiple vote-casting and faked voting, COA had had the computer program designed in such a way as to incorporate precautions like identity verification. We are confident to say that each single vote is real and authentic and in keeping with the principles of fairness and justice.

COA pointed out that the election campaign of 2007 Ten Best Taiwan Fruits has come to a happy ending, and, because of its warm reception and support by the populace, it has garnered a sum total of 1,690,586 votes. In order to express its gratitude for people’s enthusiasm and support, it held a public lucky draw event and result-announcement conference in the auditorium on the fifth floor of COA on 29, November. Those who had gone on line to cast their votes and completed the collection of the fruit-shaped magnetic puzzle pieces stand an equal chance of winning a 42-inch liquid crystal TV set, a double voucher for a two-day-one-night stay in a dude ranch, intricately made fruit calendars and some other 600 prizes.

COA stressed that the election campaign of 2007 Ten Best Taiwan Fruits has helped people gain a more profound knowledge of Taiwan fruits and succeeded in attracting the attention of the younger generation so as to make it possible for them to get to like and consume more Taiwan fruits. The 30 fruits recommended by the local governments and entered in this election event are all important and high economic value fruits in Taiwan, and the ten best fruits are especially favored by the people. COA calls on the people to take concrete actions to purchase those quality fruits so that local fruit producers may feel their passionate support.