Page 7 - 2019 Annual Report Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan

units," selected 41 agro-gift and souvenir items, and developed 283 themed itineraries, enriching rural tourism. We also expanded the market for international travelers to come to Taiwan for agro-tourism. With integrated online and social- media marketing, in 2019 rural areas attracted 27.8 million visits (including 717,000 visits by foreign travelers), generating NT$10.9 billion in total revenues. In addition, the COA set up an integrated agriproduct export platform, and exports reached a new historic high. In 2019 the volume of agriproduct exports was 2.29 million metric tons, valued at NT$172.5 billion. Of this, exports of fresh fruit totaled NT$5.7 billion, an increase of 42% over the previous year. Moreover, inspection and quarantine barriers were overcome for guavas to be exported to the US for the first time and Taiwan became the only country in the world permitted to export jujubes to South Korea.
As a result of continual efforts, accomplishments have come one after another. Looking to the future, the COA has already planned to provide each new farmer with "agricultural operational preparatory funds" of NT$720,000 over two years while also offering five-year interest-free loans of up to NT$2 million in order to help young farmers get started. Also, we implemented direct payments on farmland, under which each farmer can receive NT$10,000 per hectare, with additional incentives for eco- friendly farming, highlighting the contributions farmers make to the environment and society. In the future, the COA will complete legislation governing agricultural insurance, build a farmers pension system, strengthen irrigation services, complete an integrated cold-chain logistics system, and more, with the aim of strengthening the production and marketing structure and promoting agricultural upgrading while also looking after the environment, protecting the rights and interests of farmers, and creating new value for agriculture in Taiwan.
In dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, the COA will continue to monitor consumer markets and assist farms to flexibly adjust production when appropriate, as well as implement various economic relief and guidance programs. The COA invites farmers, fishermen, and related businesses to work together
with the government to strengthen industrial transformation and upgrading and to build up the capabilities to take agriculture to even greater heights in the future. We must transform crisis into opportunity and minimize the impact on all agriculture-related industries, with everyone acting in concert to build a better future for agriculture in Taiwan.
Chi-chung Chen Minister Council of Agriculture March, 2020