President Tsai Ing-wen attended Taiwan International Agricultural Machinery and Materials Exhibition Oct. 18 in northern Taiwan’s Taoyuan City to witness firsthand the latest farming innovations from more than 20 countries and territories including Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.S.
 
According to the Presidential Office, Tsai visited the kiosk of Agriculture and Food Agency under the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture. Among the display’s highlights are thriving passion fruit seedlings and advanced machinery for planting pineapples and transplanting small-leaf vegetables, the PO said.
 
The items are the fruitful results of an AFA project launched in 2017 that aims to work with local academics, businesses and testing facilities to produce robust seedlings, create labor-saving machines and enhance agricultural product processing technology, the agency said, adding that the expertise is then shared with New Southbound Policy target countries.
 
A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
 
Tsai also visited booths of local vendors of agricultural machinery, including Long Yuan Agricultural Machinery Manufacture Factory and Kulin Technology Co. Ltd. based in southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County and Kaohsiung City, respectively, and Jyen Herr Enterprise Co. Ltd. headquartered in central Taiwan’s Changhua County.
 
Co-organized by Taoyuan City Government and New Taipei City-based Taiwan Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association with support from the AFA and Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Minister of Economic Affairs, the 15th edition of Taiwan International Agricultural Machinery and Materials Exhibition showcases cutting-edge equipment, materials, machines and tools developed by more than 800 manufacturers. (YCH-E)
 
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