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Taiwan¡¦s agricultural policies
flawed, Lee says
By Vincent Y. Chao / Staff Reporter
Former president Lee Teng-hui
talks at a meeting held at Aletheia University yesterday by the Presbyterian
Church in Taiwan.
Photo: CNA
Former president Lee Teng-hui (§õµn½÷)
yesterday said the country¡¦s agricultural policy was flawed and voiced his
support for the thousands of farmers who gathered in front of the Presidential
Office over the weekend.
The protest against land expropriation was the latest among many in recent weeks
and forced the government to address grievances voiced by farming communities by
pledging to renew its focus on the industry, including help in raising fruit
prices to possibly increasing farmer subsidies.
¡¥QUICK FIXES¡¨
However, calling those solutions ¡§quick fixes,¡¨ Lee said the problem stemmed
from to the lack of a comprehensive agricultural policy.
Lee, a Cornell University--educated expert on agricultural economics, said the
government should help develop large-scale farming to increase international
competitiveness.
¡§How can we expect small farmers to compete like before?¡¨ Lee told reporters
before a youth policy forum. ¡§They have high operating costs, while marketplace
prices for their goods continue to be [low]. What can they do?¡¨
Lee made the remarks as farmers directed their growing anger at the
administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (°¨^¤E), who they say has allowed
agricultural prices to crash amid lagging global exports.
Lee said he had seen potential problems since his time as Taiwan provincial
governor in the 1980s. Pointing out that he had once advocated transferring
control of the country¡¦s 800,000 hectares of farmland to 80,000 younger farmers,
he said it was a disappointment that the policy wasn¡¦t continued.
PROBLEMS
The roots of the current agricultural issues, he said, could be traced to aging
farm workers and decreasing plot size after land has been split up by family
inheritance and industrial and residential development.
Referring to a Council of Agriculture plan last year to consolidate the use of
farmland by helping older and retired farmers rent their land to larger
agricultural businesses, Lee said it was well-intentioned, but had only been
haltingly and unevenly carried out.
Large-scale agricultural businesses are better able to control costs and make
better use of Taiwan¡¦s agricultural expertise, which he praised.
¡§It¡¦s a pity that the government has been all talk and hasn¡¦t really extended a
caring hand to [farmers],¡¨ Lee said about the council¡¦s ¡§Small landowners, big
agricultural renters¡¨ plan.
¡§As a result, farmers have had no choice but to hit the streets,¡¨ he said.
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