Council of Agriculture Partners with TaiSugar to Set Up Taiwan's First Circular Pig Farming Zone in Chiayi, Guiding Farmers to Move In

Not long ago, the Council of Agriculture and TaiSugar revealed plans to establish a "Circular Pig Farming Zone," using TaiSugar land as the base, with plans for new-style water-curtain pig houses and a biogas center to solve the waste discharge problems of the pig farming industry and further promote a circular agricultural economy. Now, Council of Agriculture Minister Lin Tsung-hsien has also formally announced after the Executive Yuan meeting that the first "Circular Pig Farming Zone" will definitely be located in "Chiayi," with construction expected to begin before the end of next year.

Council of Agriculture Partners with TaiSugar to Establish a "Circular Pig Farming Zone"

TaiSugar Corporation General Manager Kuan Tao-yi previously proposed the concept of a "Circular Pig Farming Zone" at the "Circular Economy and Agriculture Forum," stating that TaiSugar is currently considering setting aside appropriate space on TaiSugar land to raise pigs in water-curtain pig houses, collecting the manure and urine produced by the pigs for biogas power generation; in addition, feed crops could be grown on TaiSugar land and fertilized with biogas residue and slurry; a slaughterhouse could also be planned near the pig houses to make effective whole-pig use of pig trotters, bones, blood, and even internal organs.

Regarding the "Circular Pig Farming Zone," Lin Tsung-hsien stated that the currently planned Chiayi County Circular Pig Farming Zone will incorporate the concept of a circular economy. The Chiayi County Government hopes that the site can use modern equipment to handle the waste discharged from every stage of the pig farming process, thereby achieving the goals of reducing water use, reducing odor, reducing waste discharge, and even zero waste. "This is the first standard site of cross-ministerial cooperation, and the Council of Agriculture will fully cooperate with TaiSugar."

Animal Industry Division: Chiayi Has a Particularly Large Number of Small Pig Farmers; Wastewater Has Been Handled "Perfunctorily" and Needs Guidance

Now that the broad goal of the "Circular Pig Farming Zone" has been announced, what is the specific direction for implementation? Wang Chung-shu, Deputy Director of the Animal Industry Division of the Council of Agriculture, added that TaiSugar currently has quite a lot of idle sugarcane fields and farmland. With these unused, TaiSugar is willing to use them as the base for the pig farming zone. After building modern pig houses and a biogas center, it will guide local small pig farmers to move into the zone for production. "The current plan is to guide 200,000 head, so the land area will be at least 30 to 40 hectares, no less."

As for why "Chiayi County" was chosen as the first "Circular Pig Farming Zone," Wang explained that after TaiSugar proposed the concept, the Chiayi County Government showed the highest willingness to cooperate. According to Wang's understanding, although the number of pig farmers in the Chiayi area is not particularly large, "there are especially many small farmers," and because small farmers have relatively less capital, wastewater treatment has long been handled "perfunctorily," causing local environmental problems.

Now that TaiSugar has proposed the idea of a "Circular Pig Farming Zone," Wang Chung-shu stated that once the zone is established and the relevant wastewater equipment is completed, small farmers can be guided to move into the zone and required to carry out proper shared wastewater management.

How Is Waste Recycled? Biogas Power Generation Plus Household Food Waste Fermentation

Proper wastewater management is only the first step. As for how to achieve waste recycling, Wang Chung-shu stated that a "biogas power generation center" will be established within the zone, and the efficiency of biogas power generation hinges on "quantity" and the "carbon-to-nitrogen ratio." Under the current concept, the biogas power generation center can not only handle pig manure and urine, but also collect household food waste for co-fermentation. "The nitrogen source comes from pig manure and urine, while the carbon source can come from household food waste," which for the local area can solve both livestock and household waste at once.

Not only can livestock waste serve as raw material for biogas power generation, Wang Chung-shu further stated that TaiSugar's sugarcane fields are large in area, so biogas residue and slurry can be used for field irrigation and application, and compost can even be sold. "Basically, this is a circular agriculture zone."

Guide Small Farmers In First, Only Then Consider TaiSugar Raising Pigs Itself

Now that TaiSugar and the Chiayi County Government have put forward the concept of a "Circular Pig Farming Zone," Wang also admitted that the next step will depend on whether small pig farmers are willing to relocate to the zone. The current plan is to guide 200,000 pigs into the zone. Only if small farmers cannot be recruited will TaiSugar move its own pigs into the zone.

"But right now the pressure on small pig farmers is really too great," Wang Chung-shu said. Small farmers simply lack the capacity to handle large amounts of pig manure and urine, and can only watch as environmental protection agencies keep issuing fines, taking it one day at a time. The problem of wastewater from small-scale livestock farming can no longer be avoided.

For small pig farmers to relocate into the zone, the question of lease fees will certainly come up. On this, Wang Chung-shu stated that there will definitely be lease fees, but a conclusion can only be reached after TaiSugar negotiates with the county and city governments.