To support the development of organic and eco-friendly agriculture, the Agriculture Department of New Taipei City Government cooperated with IFOAM Asia to set up the Center of Excellence for Intelligent Organic Marketing in Asia (CEIOMA). It promoted the Eco-friendly Contractual Farming Affiliate Platform to increase the sales channels of eco-friendly agricultural products through enterprises and e-commerce platforms. Mr. Lu-Ho Chen is the first Pinglin organic tea farmer who joins the OwlTing Market (New Taipei City’s Eco-friendly Contractual Farming Platform). Through the spirit of “Access to Markets: A Road to Sustainability” of the contractual farming platform, he has increased the sales opportunities in the market and business community.
After Lu-Ho Chen retired in 2006, he returned to his hometown Pinglin to operate “Green Light Farm.” Pinglin District is an important catchment area of the Feitsui Reservoir, a water source in the Taipei Metro Area. If pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used, they will eventually flow into the reservoir, affecting the health of millions of people. Therefore, he insists on doing organic work. The main plant in the green light farm is Ruby Black Tea (TTES#18), which has strong resistance and is not afraid of pests and diseases. Besides the tea garden, Lu-Ho Chen has also planted some “wild tea” in the native forest, which can only be harvested once a year, and the output is quite rare, but the aroma is more intense and mellow than ordinary tea leaves. Pinglin is not only the hometown of Pouchong tea but also a treasure trove of ecological resources. The Green Light Farm welcomes the public to participate in tea picking, personally experience the natural scenery and rich biological phases of the tea garden, deeply understand tea knowledge, and feel the beauty of Pinglin.
Lu-Ho Chen said that because he adheres to organic and friendly farming methods, the environment of the tea garden is relatively healthy. From time to time, he can see conservation-type creatures such as Crested Serpent-eagles and Emerald green tree frogs. In addition to passing the organic certification, he has also obtained the Green Conservation Label of Tse-Xin Organic Certification, which proves the products are more environmentally sustainable. The cost of planting organic tea is high, and the overall revenue and gross profit are challenging to catch up with the traditional agricultural methods. To increase the number of customers through experience marketing, he also thanked the New Taipei City Government for its support. He constantly tried to find new and more diversified channels for organic farmers in innovative ways.
Wen Lee, the Commissioner of the Agriculture Department, stated that the Eco-friendly Contractual Farming Affiliate Platform adheres to the principle of “Access to Markets: A Road to Sustainability.” It not only vigorously promotes and markets local organic agriculture but also helps matchmaking enterprises to adopt farmland so that the income of small-scale farmers can be more secure through post-production marketing. CEIOMA has also gathered many online shopping platforms that support farmers’ cooperative farming and established a large alliance of eco-friendly suitable farming platforms. Various friendly and organic agricultural products can be ordered for joint production. During the epidemic prevention period, consumers and business groups are requested to respond together and support Taiwan’s small farmers online!
More Information:
Agriculture Department, New Taipei City Government Forestry Section Huang, Chia-Wen / Chief Tel: 2960-3456 * 3105 Mobile: 0921-073-005