Daliao Red Bean Festival Kicks Off with a Bang, Chen Chu Hopes for Support of Local Agricultural Products

The 2016 Kaohsiung Daliao Red Bean Festival kicked off with a bang on the 3rd at the plaza outside the Daliao MRT Station exit. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu said that this year's event theme, "Daliao Red Beans Are Treasures," expresses the hope that citizens will cherish the fruits and vegetables that farmers work so hard to grow as "treasures," and support local agriculture in Taiwan, China. She said that Daliao red beans have a production traceability record, allowing the public to eat safely and healthily. In addition, although domestic sales of Daliao red beans are in short supply, she hopes that exports can continue to expand in the future, attracting more people to take up red bean cultivation.

Mayor Chen Chu thanked the efforts of the industry, government and academic sectors in Daliao, which have allowed the Daliao Red Bean Festival, now in its 12th year, to move from farmland into the community, and from the community to integrate with schools and industry, making the community more vibrant. Chen Chu said that the city government has also launched a one-day farmer activity, hoping to combine agriculture with tourism and make the entire itinerary more lively and rich.

The Daliao District Office said that this event, through the local mascots of Daliao District, "Red Bean Girl and Amigo," has created cultural and creative products such as branded red bean cakes and eco-friendly tableware, turning agriculture into another kind of diverse popular fashion. In addition, besides its famous red beans, Daliao also has many high-quality agricultural products, such as rice, cucumbers, water caltrop, pineapples, edamame, tomatoes, bananas, cabbage and other crops. Everyone is welcome to buy and support local farmers.