Provision of machinery helps farmers short of hands sustain production while grows associated industries
The COA indicates that the Taiwan’s agricultural sector is mainly made up of small farming households, with a wide range of crops planted in small scales. Thus each farmer has different requirement for their farming machines, and fulfilling this need is key to addressing the severe labor shortage, which was exacerbated by rural aging.
This year, the COA is expected to allocate NTD 800 million to this program. The 16 categories of widely used agri-machinery eligible for the subsidy include cultivators, farm vehicles, field transporters, power sprayers, power fertilizer applicators, tea harvesters, tea pruners, woodchippers, soil augers, electric pruning shears, self-propelled boom sprayers, mowers, fruit graders, bean graders, chainsaws, and self-propelled elevators (see the attachment for details). It is estimated that over 80,000 units will be purchased under the subsidy, increasing the mechanization rate of domestic farmers and the overall farming efficiency. The program is projected to generate machinery manufacturers and associated suppliers more than NTD 2.4 billion of revenues, boosting both agriculture and machinery industry at once.
Application starts on March 15 at countrywide farmers’ associations
The COA puts forth that an upper limit applies to each machine category, with the payout set at one third of the actual purchase price. Local farmers’ associations have been entrusted to receive subsidy applications between March 15 and October 31, 2019. Applications must precede the purchase. Eligible applicants—including farmers certified in organic, TAP, or CAS, participating in Taiwan Agricultural Traceability or Eco-Friendly Farming, covered by Farmer Health Insurance, or among Young Farmers, APMG members or participants of Green Payment Program—can complete application by bringing their identification documents to a local farmers’ association and filling up an application form. Each farmer can only make one subsidized purchase.
The COA reminds that all subsidized purchases are to be fulfilled and delivered within one month of being approved by the local farmers’ association. Between April 15 and November 30, 2019, applicants can bring required documents including a copy of the bank passbook, the purchase receipt, and a copy of the agri-machinery use permit to the receiving farmers’ association to claim the subsidy payment.
