From Paddy Fields to Fragrant Spirits: New Taipei's Jinshan Agricultural Products Forge an International Path with Added Value

(CNA reporter Huang Hsu-sheng, New Taipei, 10th) The New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau stated today that it is promoting local revitalization and assisting local teams in integrating production, marketing, education, tourism, and youth empowerment to enhance the added value of agriculture. Tsai Tian Friendly Farming Co. has demonstrated its strength in agricultural processing by winning multiple international awards for its spirits.

The Agriculture Bureau arranged for Yang Ju-men, CEO of Tsai Tian Friendly Farming, to share their achievements in agricultural value-addition at a municipal meeting today. The Bureau said that Tsai Tian uses Jinshan's Tsai Tian rice (Kaohsiung 147 and Taikeng 9) as raw material to develop three types of distilled spirits. Through agricultural processing, they have enhanced product value and brought the local agricultural brand to the international stage.

The Bureau pointed out that the Jinshan District, with its rural settlements and unique climate on the northern coast, develops a diverse agricultural landscape throughout the four seasons and is famous for specialty products like sweet potatoes and Wan-jin rhododendrons. The local achievements in eco-friendly farming and ecological conservation are particularly representative. At the end of 2014, a juvenile Siberian crane that lost its way to Taiwan landed in Jinshan and was cared for by farmers and conservationists, staying until May 2016. This event spurred the local promotion of eco-friendly agriculture, ecological conservation, and industrial development, creating a win-win model for the environment and the economy.

The Agriculture Bureau stated that the Qingshui farmland in Jinshan is a model area for New Taipei's friendly farming. Farmers there have long adopted eco-friendly methods, enhancing biodiversity and creating a high-quality habitat, which once attracted the rare migratory bird known as the 'Siberian White Crane' for about a year and a half.

The Bureau said that Jinshan's rice cultivation maintains the field ecosystem through friendly farming methods. The summer lotus fields serve both for agricultural experiences and are elderly-friendly, while the winter shiitake mushroom industry utilizes the cold, damp climate of the north coast to develop specialty agriculture, increasing farmers' income. Yang Ju-men expressed his hope to introduce the culture and terroir of Jinshan to the world through the flavor of the spirits, while also opening up a new market for Tsai Tian rice, stabilizing rice prices, and boosting farmers' confidence.