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- What is the role of agriculture in Taiwan's economy?
Five decades ago, over 90 percent of Taiwan's residents lived in farming villages. The main crops were rice, sugar, tea, jute, and other crops. Industrialization, however, has changed Taiwan. Today, farmers comprise only 7.4 percent of the work force and produce less than 3 percent of the GDP. Prior to Taiwan's admittance into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in January 2002, farmers began to diversify crop production into such areas as horticulture, agritourism, exotic fruits and vegetables, chemical-free organic produce, and other high-value products. Rice was still ranked as Taiwan's most valuable crop in 2000, followed by betel nuts, corn, pineapple, mangoes, sugar cane, pears, tea, bamboo shoots, and peanuts.
At present, the government is implementing a New Plan on Agriculture for the 21st Century designed to promote the sustainable development of agriculture, a dignified and dynamic life for farmers, and an ideal living environment for everyone.
- How has Taiwan's accession to the WTO affected the agricultural
sector?
The single biggest challenge confronting Taiwan's farmers today is the increased international competition that will follow now that Taiwan has been admitted into the World Trade Organization (WTO). To meet WTO requirements, the government has systematically removed trade barriers to its heavily protected agricultural sector. The import ban on 23 items has been replaced by an import quota, which will be increased every year. Meanwhile, current tariffs on agricultural imports have been reduced to 14.1 percent in 2002, and will be further decreased to 12 percent in 2007.
About 90 percent of the agricultural products consumed in Taiwan are open to imports. Tariff reductions have caused Taiwan to register a steadily rising trade deficit for agricultural products. To reduce the impact of increased competition, the Council of Agriculture has adopted legal measures to compensate farmers for losses resulting from imports.
- How much land is used for agriculture in Taiwan?
For the last four decades, the area of cultivated land in Taiwan was approximately 900,000 hectares (2.16 million acres). However, by 2000 this figure had dropped to 851,495 hectares (2.04 million acres), and it is expected to decline even further after rezoning is completed for a farmland release program.
- What are the principal crops grown in Taiwan?
Fruits, vegetables, and rice are the principal crops grown in Taiwan, and in 2000 they accounted for 34.9 percent, 23.3 percent, and 20.9 percent, respectively, of the total value of crop production. Currently, over 100 kinds of vegetables and 30 types of fruits are grown in Taiwan. Thanks to the year-round warm climate, two or three crops of rice are harvested annually. Tea is also an important cash crop, and Formosa oolong teas are famous throughout the world.
- How has the fishery industry developed in Taiwan?
Over the past half-century, Taiwan's fishing industry has developed from small-scale coastal and offshore fishing to deep-sea commercial fishing. In 2000, Taiwan had a fishing fleet of 26,623 ships (of which 25,109 were powered craft), with an annual catch of some 1.1 million metric tons. Fishery production, including aquaculture products, totaled 1.36 million metric tons in 2000.
The ROC produced US$2.8 billion worth of fish in 2000. Of this, 52 percent came from deep-sea fishing, 29 percent from aquaculture, 14 percent from offshore fishing, and 3 percent from coastal fishing. More than 36 percent of Taiwan's total production was exported, led by skipjack, squid, and tilapia.
Since 1990, the government has been conserving fisheries and restoring depleted coastal and offshore fish stocks. By 2000, a total of US$21 million had been allocated to set up 23 fishery conservation zones, 78 artificial reefs, and 70 reef protection zones along the coasts of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands.
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