In the spirit of these fruitful exchanges, a delegation led by Jong-I Hu, AFA Director General, embarked on an agricultural exchange to Ibaraki Prefecture from June 4 to 8, 2023. The trip included an event on June 5 to express gratitude to the cities and counties in Ibaraki for their continued procurement of Taiwanese bananas, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan was also invited. This exchange aims to deepen cooperation and sustain the supply of high-quality Taiwanese fruits for school meals. The AFA is committed to further developing the school catering market in the country, fostering understanding and acceptance of Taiwanese bananas among Japanese producers and consumers. The goal is to entice other prefectures and cities in Japan to join in, ultimately expanding exports to Japan.
Japan Impressed by Taiwan's Agricultural Excellence
To showcase Taiwan's unique crops, including vegetables, fruits, and flowers, the AFA presented the legendary “V3” Phalaenopsis (moth orchids), an internationally competitive cultivar developed in Taiwan. These orchids featured national flags of Taiwan and Japan spray-printed on the petals using nanotechnology, symbolizing the beautiful exchanges and deep friendship between the two sides (Photo 1). The exhibition at the event also included distinctive processed agricultural products from Taiwan, such as atemoya wine, dried pineapple slices, pineapple cakes, banana biscuits, and gift boxes of tea (Photo 2). These displays aim to familiarize the cities and towns with Taiwan's agricultural products, contributing to Taiwan’s promotional efforts to introduce its agricultural specialties and technology to Japanese consumers.
Mutual Exchange and Learning for Joint Progress
The AFA strategically chose Ibaraki Prefecture for agricultural exchanges due to its significant status as an agricultural hub in Japan. Despite abundant produce, it faces challenges akin to those experienced by Taiwan's agricultural counties and cities—aging populations and rural decline. The purpose of the delegation's visit was to glean insights from Japan's successful regional revitalization efforts and apply them to rejuvenate Taiwan's rural areas. Engagements also involve the selection of local agricultural products from Japan and the organization of exchanges on food education between Japanese and Taiwanese primary and secondary schools. These initiatives aim to broaden the perspectives and international outlook of Taiwan's schoolchildren.
