Traceable Agricultural Products System

Traceable Agricultural Products System

Published: 2014.02.25
Accepted: 2014.02.25
58
Board Director
Taiwan Flowers Development Association

Hwang-Jaw Lee

Board Director, Taiwan Flowers Development Association

 

With the increasing awareness of food safety, consumers have put more and more emphasis on food origin and food safety. Consumers also purchase agricultural products from internet based cyber stores. This awareness and cyber purchasing have trickled down to the Council of Agriculture (COA) and propelled them to develop a series of tactical policies and marketing campaigns so that the agricultural industry and argi-businesses can protect consumers and promote long term sustainability.

The COA has launched〝Traceable Agricultural Products〞 (TAP) system since 2007. This system regulates agricultural manufacturers to conform to the codes of Taiwan’s Good Agriculture Practices (TGAPs) and manage risks associated with their operation.

Under this system, farmers, and the suppliers are encouraged to leverage eco-friendly methods for their production and produce safe products which can be easily traced back. Especially for the traditional or legacy farmers, special attention and efforts are required to assist them to transform their operation in order to survive the new pattern of commerce.   

Promotional marketing campaigns were organized to educate TAP products to consumers; trips to production sites were arranged for retailers to understand TAP; negotiations with market places were conducted to carry TAP products and showcase TAP products in the stores; websites to promote TAP products were also launched so that users can learn from them.

By the end of November, 2013, there were a total of 1,028 certified TAP enterprises, providing 146 TAP products. The average number of TAP labels printed per month reached 1.67 million, with a growth rate of 48% compared to 1.13 million per month in 2012, and 118% on 770,000 per month in 2011.

(Data Source: Council of Agriculture)

 

Date submitted: February 24, 2014

Reviewed, edited and uploaded: February 25, 2014

 

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