Premier Su Tseng-chang, accompanied by Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che, visited Yujing Steaming Factory on July 9. The Premier listened to a presentation on current fruit export quarantine measures and overall produce cold chain logistics, and observed the quarantine process of mangoes for export.
Premier Su also observed the mango steaming procedure and factory capacity. He requested that the upgrading procedures for Yujing’s agricultural product processing and cold chain logistics be sped up to further support farm produce production and marketing. The Premier also expressed that the quality of Tainan’s fruits is very good and the government should help local farmers sell their produce globally. Su promised to subsidize Tainan City to set up an agriculture product cold chain logistics center and improve steaming factory equipment. This transformation can bring in billions of dollars of income for local producers.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che pointed out that this year the export volumes of Tainan’s mangoes to Japan and Korea have grown significantly, and the volume of mangoes steamed at Yujing Steaming Factory is also the largest in Taiwan this year. However, the factory has been operating for nearly 18 years and the equipment is in dire need of upgrading. Therefore, Tainan City is now collaborating with the Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan on the mid-/long-term “Establishing Agriculture Products Processing and Quality Guarantee Demo System” project. This includes setting up the Yujing Agricultural Product Processing and Cold Chain Logistics Center next to the steaming factory. This steaming and low-temp double-quarantine processing center can significantly enhance Tainan’s exported fruit quality and international market competitiveness. Mayor Huang pointed out that the quality of exported agriculture products and local farmers’ income can be ensured if the government helps provide proper equipment.
According to Agriculture Bureau Director Hsieh Yao-ching, the Agriculture Product Logistics Center can optimize the processing, grade-sorting and packaging, and storing and transportation system before and after harvest. Furthermore, the Center can conduct low-temp quarantine on mangoes, pineapples, guavas, and shaddocks. These fruits are mainly exported to markets in Japan, Korea, the US, and Canada. The process volume is expected to exceed 5,000 tons annually and generate NTD 800 million of revenue.