Jiyuanpu officially exits on June 15; the Council of Agriculture promotes the traceable agricultural products label, subsidies are available for participating in verification, and dedicated zones at fruit and vegetable wholesale markets will hold

The Jiyuanpu label, which has been in use for more than 30 years, will officially exit on June 15 this year! In order to integrate the label system and raise food safety standards, the Council of Agriculture is abolishing the Jiyuanpu label system and encouraging farmers to upgrade to the traceable agricultural products certification label. In addition to substantially subsidizing verification fees, this year it is adding an environmental payment of 15,000 yuan per hectare per year, and setting up dedicated zones at six major fruit and vegetable wholesale markets to hold priority auctions for traceable agricultural products and organic fruits and vegetables. Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung emphasized that after the label upgrade, it will better safeguard the food safety of domestically produced fruits and vegetables and also create higher income for farmers.

Farmers with the Jiyuanpu label can apply for Council of Agriculture subsidies when transitioning

As the Jiyuanpu label is about to exit, the Agriculture and Food Agency is providing a dual scheme for members of production and marketing groups to choose from. Agriculture and Food Agency Director-General Hu Chung-yi said that those participating in the traceable agricultural products verification system can receive the above subsidies; as for those currently in the traceability preparatory period, they can also apply for the following subsidies: those who pass the traceability preparatory period review subsidy can receive 2,000 yuan per person when purchasing crop safety and quality management materials, as well as a 500 yuan subsidy per production batch for information entry service fees, with subsidies available until October 31 this year.

Lai Hsin-yu, a specialist at the Kaohsiung City Jijian Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Cooperative, which mainly grows Indian jujube and guava, shared his experience of upgrading. He said that currently half of the cooperative's fields have converted from Jiyuanpu to traceable agricultural products certification, and the upgrade can further increase buyers' willingness to purchase through sales channels. He also welcomed the establishment of the "Traceable Agricultural Products and Organic Fruits and Vegetables Dedicated Zone" at the fruit and vegetable market. "With priority auctions, buyers are more likely to see them, and it can also increase our exposure." He believes that consumers are demanding higher and higher food safety standards, and agricultural products that meet traceable agricultural products certification can gain more public confidence and also help expand international orders.

Traceable agricultural products must be produced in accordance with Taiwan Good Agricultural Practice (TGAP), and production process information must be made public, which can further raise the safety level of agricultural products from farm to table. However, in the past many farmers reported that the procedures for applying for traceable agricultural products certification are very cumbersome, and the requirements of each certification company are not the same. Many older farmers do not know how to fill out forms, greatly reducing their willingness to apply.

In response, Lai Hsin-yu pointed out, "By having the cooperative collectively purchase materials and keep unified records, the cumbersome procedures farmers need to bear can be reduced." For example, if farmers register with the cooperative to obtain pesticides, that means spraying work is about to be carried out; if they collect fruit and vegetable bags, that indicates a need for bagging, and before bagging farmers will also prune fruit tree branches. "We keep records here, farmers can refer to them for comparison, and we also assist and teach them how to register online."