The Agriculture Bureau of Taichung City Government (hereinafter referred to as "The Agricultural Bureau") actively guides farmers' groups in exporting distinctive agricultural products to foreign countries,aiming to further develop overseas markets. The Shalu District Guarantee Responsibility Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Cooperatives, established in 2008, has participated in the Japan International Food Exhibition for many years and has been favored by Japanese traders. After sending personnel to Taiwan many times to inspect the raw materials and process fields of the contract with production and sales history, they agreed to import one container (40 feet) of ice-baked sweet potatoes in August this year, and today (August 21st ) in Taichung City Shalu District Guarantee Responsibility Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Cooperatives launched "Taiwan Sweet Potato Seal Container and Set Sail" to open up the new international channel.

Yu-Xian Tong(童育賢), the chairperson of the board of the Shalu District Guarantee Responsibility Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Cooperatives, noted that from the 1960s to the 1980s, sweet potatoes were a staple food in every household. For the older generation, sweet potatoes were the staple food. Nowadays, for the younger generation, sweet potato is a health product. The Shalu District Guarantee Responsibility Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Cooperatives has been cooperating with contracting farmers in Taichung and Yunlin for a long time to produce sweet potatoes with production and sales experience. After being harvested, it passed the inspection of pesticide residues and processed into ice-baked sweet potatoes, sweet potato balls, sweet potato fries with peel, taro balls, and other processed products, with the "Golden Sweet" brand is sold in domestic channels such as non-staple food in the military, school lunches, E-commerce, supermarkets (for exemplel: Save & Safe, Carrefour, Wellcome, etc.). Furthermore, these products are also exported to destinations including Hong Kong and the United States.
The Agricultural Bureau has explanated that the cultivation area for sweet potatoes in Taichung spans 727 hectares, yielding an annual output of 12,393 metric tons. The largest area is Shalu District, 258 hectares and 5,105 metric tons. The second area is Qingshui District, with 203 hectares and an annual production of 2,510 metric tons. The cultivated varieties are mainly Tainung no.57 (yellow peel and yellow flesh) and Tainung no.66 (red peel and red flesh). Tainung no.57, commonly known as golden sweet potato, has a golden or orange flesh color, a loose taste, and good palatability. The Shalu District Guarantee Responsibility Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Cooperatives made ice-baked potatoes from this variety. Tainung no.66, commonly known as red sweet potato, has an orange-red flesh color, a soft texture, a high sweetness, and high β-carotene content. People often make them into products such as sweet potato chips and sweet potato balls.
City Councilors Jr-Chang Shr and Dian-Zhong Yang, Director-general of the Agency of Rural Development & Soil and Water Conservation of the Ministry of Agriculture Lee Chen-yang, Director of the Taichung Branch Rong-Jun Chen, Chief of Shalu District Shi-Qi Chang, and Section Chief of Agricultural Bureau Shih-wei Liao attended the set sail press today. Additionally, Vice President of the Legislative Yuan Chi-Chang Tsai and City Councilor Wang Li-jen also dispatched their staff to the scene, demonstrating their concern and support.
Contact: Mr. Yu, Agriculture Bureau of the Taichung City Government 04-22289111 extension 56520