In order to demonstrate that the policy of “value-added agriculture in free economic pilot zones” can bring positive effects on the industry, Dr. Chen, Bao-ji, Minister of the Council of Agriculture (COA), invited local major media to go southward to Pingtung on May 27. They visited some value-added agricultural manufacturers full of distinctive features and competitiveness inside COA’s Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park, including Jy Lin, Taiwan Fu Shrimp and TCI. Moreover, these companies were invited to exchange opinions, getting to understand the government’s related policies and future direction that should be strengthened.

The COA said that Jy Lin, located in Neipu Township of Pingtung, is Taiwan’s largest ornamental fish exporter that exports around 400 kinds of ornamental fish to nearly 30 countries every year. In recent years, the company has been devoted to developing high value-added ornamental fish species. So far, through genetic engineering technology, it has successfully bred a variety of different fluorescent ornamental fish, such as Amatitlania nigrofasciata and angelfish. Under COA’s guidance, Jy Lin will start mass production for export in the Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park, using value-added technology to create a new blue ocean for this industry.

Similarly, in the ornamental aquarium industry, Taiwan Fu Shrimp focuses on delicate and small ornamental shrimps as its operational core competing products. After allowing to be stationed in the Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park in 2012, the company has collaborated with various universities and research institutes, constantly producing a wide range of high-value ornamental shrimps and exporting them to European, American and Japanese markets. Driven by the policy of “value-added agriculture in free economic pilot zones” in the future, the company will import ornamental shrimps with commercial potential from other countries. Through Taiwan’s superior breeding techniques, it can breed more characteristic and more popular aquatic shrimp species, thus, continuing to lead the market in this field.

The TCI is a professional OEM company specializing in functional food and biotechnological beauty care products. For many years, the company has assisted its clients to make use of Taiwan’s local agricultural raw materials, such as banana peel, red quinoa and cabbage. It also helped them build a complete operational value chain by establishing R&D, manufacturing, promotional marketing and integrating supply of raw materials. Its products are sold to a dozen of countries worldwide. Benefiting from liberalization measures by the policy of “value-added agriculture in free economic pilot zones” in the future, the TCI is expected to import more raw materials with features and cost advantages. Under rigorous control of COA’s and Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park’s regulations, the company, by combining Taiwanese local good quality agricultural raw materials, can create more competitive, innovative and high value-added products for export.

In addition to the itinerary of visit, Minister Chen also took this opportunity to clarify many misconceptions about the policy of “value-added agriculture in free economic pilot zones.” For instance, the use of foreign raw materials is not to constrain the room of local agricultural products. By acquiring diverse raw materials, enterprises can produce high value-added products through innovative technology. Thus, Taiwan brands can be built firmly in the global market, which further increases demand for the nation’s agricultural raw materials. Regarding these imported foreign raw materials, the COA has also integrated its Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park as well as Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, cooperating with relevant authorities like the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance. Through physical separation, electronic document, remote auditing and random on-site check, they strictly control these foreign raw materials from entering the domestic market. As for the export-oriented products whose value are added in the free economic pilot zones, they are still subject to the same inspection and quarantine rules. If attempting to apply for Taiwan’s MIT certificates of origin, they must comply with the current “Regulations Governing Certificates of Origin and Certificates of Processing.” There is no exception or relaxation at all.

The COA reiterated that Taiwan’s agriculture cannot be exempted from global trend of liberalization. Therefore, in the face of international competitions of liberalization, the policy of “value-added agriculture in free economic pilot zones” is aimed to lead Taiwan’s agriculture towards a new direction and path. Through that day’s visits and discussion with companies, it is expected to see the policy bringing positive effects on the local agricultural industry. The COA hopes to clear others’ concerns and worries, vow to continuously fight for the most favorable conditions at the same time, and create a larger room on the world market for Taiwan’s agricultural products.