It's the right time to buy small agricultural machinery: the government subsidizes one third

Calling all farmers who need small farm machinery! The Council of Agriculture, working with the Executive Yuan's "consumption stimulus measures" plan, is expected to invest 200 million to subsidise small farmers in buying 14 types of farm machinery, including power tillers, farm transport vehicles, field carriers and brush cutters, with the subsidy capped at 1/3 of the purchase price. The Council of Agriculture hopes that by subsidising small farm machinery it will drive machinery dealers to step up their promotions and raise farmers' purchasing power.

There are about 120,000 units of the 14 types of small farm machinery nationwide. Calculating on the basis that they need replacing every 3 to 5 years on average, at least 20,000 units must be renewed each year. However, limited by budget constraints, in the past the Council of Agriculture could allocate only 50 million a year for farm machinery subsidies (including large machinery such as power tillers), and the actual number of small farm machines replaced in a year was fewer than 4,000 units.

In view of the strong demand for small farm machinery and the small capital outlay of small farmers, the Council of Agriculture proposed the "Subsidy Program for the Purchase of Small Farm Machinery" under the consumption stimulus measures plan led by the Executive Yuan. The total budget of this special program is as high as 200 million, which can be described as 4 times the subsidy budget of previous years.

The Council of Agriculture is subsidising 14 models this time, including power tillers, farm transport vehicles, field carriers, powered sprayers, powered fertiliser spreaders, tea plucking machines, tea pruning machines, branch shredders, soil augers, chain saws, electric shears, brush cutters (mowers), fruit and vegetable graders, and bean sorters.

Farmers must apply to their local farmers' association in person with identity documents between 7 November this year and 29 February next year, complete the purchase within 1 month after the review is approved, and between 1 December this year and 10 March next year submit a photocopy of their ID, a photocopy of their remittance account, the original invoice and a photocopy of the farm machinery use certificate to the farmers' association to claim the subsidy.

The Council of Agriculture particularly stresses that eligibility to apply for farm machinery is not restricted to farmers' association members; as long as actual farmers provide the relevant proof, they can all apply to the farmers' association. The Council of Agriculture estimates that this special program can subsidise farmers across Taiwan, China in buying 20,000 units of small farm machinery. Chen Chih-ching, deputy minister of the Council of Agriculture, hopes that with the government releasing the subsidy program, machinery dealers might step up with promotional activities or machinery discounts, giving this plan a chance to subsidise more units of small farm machinery.