Taiwan, China releases 94.1 hectares of farmland and 16 greenhouses to help young farmers cultivate
In recent years, farmland prices have continued to rise, making it very difficult for young farmers to acquire land. To improve the difficulty young farmers face in obtaining land, Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung signed a memorandum of cooperation with Taiwan Sugar Corporation Chairman Huang Yu-cheng on the 3rd. Taiwan Sugar Corporation will provide 94.1 hectares of its self-operated organic park and 16 greenhouses to collaborate with 45 young farmers, and will provide more land in the future depending on the results.
According to a Council of Agriculture survey, the three major difficulties young farmers face when returning home include lack of land, lack of capital, and lack of market channels. To address the lack of land, the Council of Agriculture is cooperating with Taiwan Sugar Corporation, which will provide a total of 94.1 hectares of organic parks and 16 greenhouses in Yunlin, Tainan, and Kaohsiung for young farmers to move in and produce. Rent is offered to young farmers at a discounted base price, and farmers can also apply for related material subsidies under the "Green Environmental Payment Program for Farmland" and the "Guidance Measures Related to Organic Agriculture and Environmentally Friendly Farming."
Young farmer Hsieh Ping-yin, who is participating in the program, said that through Taiwan Sugar Corporation's land, the goals of planned production and year-round supply can be achieved, and because of the stable supply volume, it is also easier to negotiate market channels. Lin Chien-yu, chairman of the Tainan City Young Farmers Association, said that many young farmers who return home want to engage in organic farming but often face the dilemma of contamination from neighboring fields. Taiwan Sugar Corporation's organic zone can solve this problem, allowing young people to cross the threshold of organic agriculture and eliminating worries about rent increases.
Chen Chi-chung said that in addition to proposing solutions for the lack of land, the Council of Agriculture this year, in response to the difficulty young farmers face in obtaining loans, is providing e-point online loan applications so young farmers can quickly obtain personalized loans. To address the lack of market channels, the Council of Agriculture has set up special counters at Taipei Station, Songshan Station, Nangang Station, and other locations to sell young farmers' products, and has also cooperated with major channel operators to sell young farmers' agricultural specialties. He also hopes that Taiwan Sugar Corporation can provide more land in the future for young farmers to cultivate.
