The Council of Agriculture (COA) has announced the winners of the 2009 Ten Best Classic Rice Award after a fair, just and open selection process which was conducted on Sept. 29, according to the COA.

COA Vice Minister Yu-tsai Huang revealed the list of winners at the Agriculture and Food Agency (AFA) the same day.

The 10 winners are: Mr. Neng-fa Hsu from Yuanli Township, Maioli County (Variety: Kaohsiung No. 145); Mr. Lung-an Chen from Tachia Township, Taichung County (Variety Kaohsiung No. 145); Mr. Chung-nung Tseng from Wufeng Township, Taichung County (Variety: Tainung No. 71); Mr. Mao-sheng Chang from Jhutang Township, Changhua County (Variety: Taikeng No. 9); Mr. Sheng-ping Tsai from Cihtong Township, Yunlin County (Variety: Tainung No. 71); Mr. Yu-chih Chuang from Potzu City, Chiayi County (Variety: Tainung No. 71); Mr. Shu-lin Cheng from Sinying City, Tainan County; Mr. Tsung-wen Wu from Wujie Township, Yilan County (Variety: Taikeng No. 8); Mr. Ming-pao Tseng fromYuli Township, Hualien County' (Variety: No. Kaohsiung No. 145); andMr. Chang-cheng Wu from Guanshan Township, Taitung County (Variety: Kaohsiung No. 139).

Since 2004, the COA has been conducting the annual "National Quality Rice Competition" to select the best brands of rice in Taiwan. In an effort to attract more outstanding farmers to join the competition, the contest was renamed the Ten Best Classic Rice Award in 2007.

This year, the seventh annual competition has 1,493 participants from 47 townships and cities, the highest numbers ever. The competition itself has become the common interests of the rice industry.

The COA stressed that the event has succeeded in introducing the idea of high-quality production to farmers, recognizing the hard work farmers have done, and increasing farmers' revenues. In addition, it helps to promote the popularity of the rice-producing areas and boost local economic development.

The Council will grant the 2009 Ten Best Classic Rice Awards to the 10 winners at the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 2 on Oct. 17. In the meantime, the High-Quality Taiwan Rice Expo 2009 will be held along with the awarding ceremony.

The 10 award-wining rice brands will be on display and for sale at the expo, the Council said.