1.    Upgrading the quality of agriproducts

　　In 2017 the COA guided five farmers’ organizations and agribusinesses to construct large-scale venues for concentration and packaging of fruits and vegetables. We subsidized modernized grading and packaging facilities (equipment) and fees for international certification, building a complete export process that is up to international standards.

　　The COA also guided banana suppliers at the point of production, after harvesting the bananas and sending them to distributors　to be graded, to send the bananas within four hours to a cold storage and ripening-acceleration room between 14 and 20 degrees Celsius to undergo precooling, ripening acceleration, cutting, and packaging. The complete cold chain system ensures the quality of the bananas.

　　The COA commissioned scholars to hold 14 education and training sessions in major fish markets about sanitation and food safety. We also organized a team of specialists to provide individual guidance at 12 fish markets, and completed improvement of the environment at five fish markets, achieving the goal of keeping fish off the ground. 

2.    Constructing a modernized logistics and trading system for agriproducts

　　In 2017 the COA guided the Tainan City Government to undertake a project to relocate and reconstruct the Xinhua fruit and vegetable market. We have already completed the process of getting permits for development of the land, and we are currently doing reviews of designs for basic construction.

　　The COA offered courses to farmers about e-commerce for agriproducts, norms for getting products onto store shelves, product grading, and packaging, training a total of 219 participants. The COA also planned to hold four matchmaking meetings for e-commerce channels. Three had been held by the end of December, 2017, with 144 farmers and 22 e-commerce platforms participating. The fourth matchmaking meeting will be held on
January 10, 2018.

3.    Promoting international marketing of agriproducts

　　In 2017, the COA (a) guided domestic industry associations and farmers’ groups to participate in overseas exhibitions 42 times; (b) invited overseas trading companies to visit Taiwan three times; (c) held overseas agriproduct advertising activities seven times; (d) established one overseas long-term exhibition and sales center for agriproducts; (e) organized one overseas learning group for the Taiwan Good Agriculture program; and (f) held eight new-generation e-commerce hands-on learning classes. In addition, we conducted the “Agricultural Product Exporters Brand Counseling Project,” guiding ten agriproduct exporting businesses to improve packaging and build up brand names.

　　In 2017, the value of agriproduct exports from Taiwan was US$4.99 billion, an increase of 6.8% over 2016. Of these exports, there were six major agriproducts or agriproducts with export potential whose export value increased by over US$1 million. The products that showed the highest growth rates in terms of export value were, in order, tea, dolphinfish, Phalaenopsis orchids, grouper, edamame (aka vegetable soybean or green soybean), and mangoes.

4.    Broadening export opportunities for agricultural technology services

　　The COA held the “International Agricultural Forum—Presentation of R&D Results” and constructed the Taiwan seed service information platform to market Taiwan agricultural technology. In addition, we participated in five overseas international trade fairs as “Taiwan Pavilion,” leading 42 businesses to market technology and products and contract with 41 firms to act as agents or sellers.

5.    Building direct sales and diversified sales channels for agriproducts

　　To assist farmers to develop diversified sales channels, the COA guides the setting up of holiday or weekend farmers’ markets at regular intervals and at two regular locations: the Hope Plaza in Taipei and the Yuanshan venue of the Taipei Flora Expo. We also offer municipal, city, and county governments help with recommending that farmers hold exhibitions and sales promotion activities, according to the production seasons of agriproducts, on Saturdays and Sundays, to raise the effectiveness of farmers. In 2017, we organized farmers’ markets at the Hope Plaza on 52 occasions, with total sales being NT$255.39 million; we also organized 44 events at the Yuanshan venue of the Taipei Flora Expo, with total sales being NT$156.09 million.

　　In order to provide consumers with agriproducts that are fresh, safe, eco-friendly, and high quality, and that have special local characteristics, the COA has guided the setting up of “farmers’ markets” and “direct sales points for farmers.” In addition, starting in 2015 the COA has worked with rural communities to strengthen promotion of the sales of special local agriproducts. We have guided the establishment and operations of community shops for farmers, direct sales points for farmers, and farmers’ markets. In 2017 we guided the establishment of farmers’ markets in four locations, of direct sales points for farmers in 11 locations, and of community shops and markets for farmers in 36 places. These provide sales points for the “local production, local marketing” of agriproducts. 

　　Since 2015, the COA has been guiding the setting up of “highway farmers’ markets” in service areas of national highways in 11 service areas in seven places, including Zhongli, Gukeng, Dongshan, Guanmiao, and the northbound and southbound areas of the Hukou Service Area, the Tai’an Service Area, and the Xiluo Service Area. Every Saturday and Sunday these markets provide travelers with the chance to directly purchase fresh fruits and vegetables picked just that day from farmers, offering convenient choices of giving purchases as gifts or immediately consuming them. In 2017 operating revenues were NT$21 million, an increase of 50% over the previous year.

　　Since December of 2014, the COA’s Forestry Bureau, the National Taiwan Museum, and the Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation have held the “Footprints Farmers Market” each week in the Museum’s Nanmen Park area. They have invited small farmers from across the country who have been given the Green Conservation Label to set up stalls, enabling consumers to support green conservation agriproducts with direct action.