Foreword

The foundation of our country is agriculture. In the past, agricultural agencies have followed the policies of “developing industry through agriculture and expanding agriculture through industry.” Accordingly agricultural agencies have improved production technologies, reformed agricultural system, developed irrigation resources, increased supply of fertilizers, enhanced prevention of pest damages, as well as expanded distribution and marketing of agricultural products. As a result, there has been tremendous progress in production in agriculture, forestry, fishery, and animal husbandry, in terms of production technologies or unit output.

In order to further promote agricultural development and enhance farmers income, a series of agricultural programs matching the need of time have been launched since 1973. These programs includes “The Accelerated Rural Development Program” starting from 1973, “The Program for Boosting Farm Income and Strengthening Rural Reconstruction” from July 1979 to June 1983, “The Program for Improving Agricultural Structure and Boosting Farm Income” during FY 1986 to 1991, as well as “The Integrated Agricultural Adjustment Program” during FY 1992 to 1997. In addition, corresponding to the comprehensive development plan of national land, “The Farmland Release Plan” was enforced in 1997 to promote reasonable resource allocation and effective utilization. At the same time, in order to respond to the accession of Taiwan into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to reduce any damages of farmers therefrom, the Council of Agriculture ( “the Council” ) has enforced “The Paddy and Upland Utilization Adjustment Program” as well as revised and promulgated “The Regulation on Damage Compensation to Farmers Caused by Agricultural Imports” in July of the same year. Furthermore, “The Temporary Statute of Senior Farmers Living Allowances” was promulgated and enforced in 1995. Senior farmers of 65 or older were granted a subsidy of NT$3,000 per month. The Temporary Statute was revised in 1998. “ The Cross-century Agricultural Development Plan ” has been enforced actively from July 1998 for a period of four years. It is clearly shown that agricultural development, rural renovation and farmers welfare have been vigorously administered all the time.

In the past, agriculture related basic information, official statistics, survey statistics and statistics for government policy enforcement have been published by agencies of the central and provincial government for the use of the public. However, starting from August of 1998, the Council has formed two subsidiary institutions, Fisheries Administration and Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine. Also, corresponding to the adjustment in organization and function of Taiwan Provincial Government, the original Department of Agriculture and Forestry as well as the Food Bureau of Taiwan Provincial Government were consolidated into the Central Taiwan Division and the Second Division of the Council. The Forestry Bureau, Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, various testing/research institutions and improvement plantations which were originally under the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Taiwan Provincial Government now have been re-categorized as under the Council. The Fishery Bureau of Taiwan Province has been consolidated into Fisheries Administration. The 15 administration units of Food Bureau are now reorganized to be 4 administration units. The Council currently has 24 subsidiary institutions. We established Preparatory Office of Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park on Oct. 12, 2003, and Bureau of Agricultural Finance on Jan. 30, 2004. In addition, the central region and the second offices were merged into Agriculture and Food Agency. The former Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern Grain Administrative offices governed by Council of Agriculture were transformed to four region branches of Agriculture and Food Agency, and the number of our subordinate institutions was adjusted to 23. In order to completely present agricultural statistic information, the Council expands and adjusts the volume, contents and editorial arrangement of “Taiwan Agricultural Yearbook” which was complied by Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Taiwan Provincial Government. Accordingly, this “Agricultural Statistics Yearbook” is published.

The Yearbook consists of three parts, word descriptions, statistic tables and appendices. Word descriptions are summarized analyses of the general situation of production of agriculture, forestry, fishery and animal husbandry, as well as on food consumption, prices of agricultural products, trade in agricultural products, farm families and number of persons employed, and farm family income of our country for the year of 2000. Explanations are provided for agricultural natural disasters, as well as for monetary subsidy of the same year. Statistic tables include the following 17 categories: agricultural economic indicators, agricultural production, prices of agricultural products and materials, food acquisition and consumption, agricultural trade, land, farm families and agricultural labor, material for agricultural production, climate and disasters, farm family economy, operations and revenues, farmers’ welfare, animal and plant health inspection and quarantine, soil and water conservation, conservation of natural resources, farmers’ association groups, and staff number. There are all together 160 plus tables.

The information contained in the Yearbook is first collected, sorted by the Council and various subsidiary institutions. The Council then conducts the planning, compilation, printing and publication of the Yearbook. The Yearbook is a nationwide and comprehensive agricultural statistic book. The scope of information covered is broad, we feel there might inevitably be certain omissions or errors. Hence any advice from the experts in the related areas will be highly appreciated.

Minister of Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan

Lee Ching-lung
June 2004