The Agriculture Department of New Taipei City Government cooperates with Tamsui Farmers’ Association and New Taipei Metro Corporation to sell high-quality local farming products through intelligent vending machines at the Hongshulin Station of Danhai LRT. It will be put into trial on July 10th. It will sell fresh organic vegetables from small farmers in New Taipei and selected agricultural products from New Taipei Young Farmers and Farmers’ Association. It offers cashless mobile payments so people can easily buy when they walk or pass by.
Influenced by COVID-19, the consumption pattern in Taiwan has changed. Agriculture Department of New Taipei City Government worked with Tamsui Farmers’ Association in promoting “Tasty Agriculture Products Drive-through” to sell products made with pumpkins; they are now trying to use intelligent vending machines, providing 24-hour sales services, selling organic vegetables grown by local small farmers in Tamsui, as well as other green agricultural products such as tea, vanilla egg rolls, and honey, to assist small farmers. Busy office workers can buy fresh vegetables and rice noodles directly on the way home after work. Making dinner is free of trouble, creating a new market operation model.
Kay Chung, the Executive Secretary of Tamsui Farmers’ Association, said that the intelligent vending machine provides EasyCard, credit card, and mobile payment to reduce the use of cash, which lessens the burden for staff when collecting goods and processing payments at the same time, it can also use the back-end system to manage storage and understand the sales performance of various farming products. Tamsui Farmers’ Association will inspect vending machines daily to ensure the quality and quantity of goods. The new product “Pumpkin Oat Soup” developed this year is also selling in the machine. Its original price is NT$110, and now it is a discount price of NT$89. During the trial operation, preferential products will be offered from time to time. Anyone interested in early adopters is welcome to buy at the vending machine.
Wen Lee, the Commissioner of Agriculture Department of New Taipei City Government, said that New Taipei City Government will assist in expanding agricultural product sales channels in the spirit of “Access to Markets: A Road to Sustainability.” New Taipei City Government cooperates with Tamsui Farmers’ Association and New Taipei Metro Corporation. New Taipei City Farmer’s Smart Market is now operating a new model with intelligent vending machines, offering convenient cashless mobile payments. Hope that citizens will join in buying when they walk by the vending machines to support local small farmers in New Taipei City with practical actions.