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FuLuh Organic Rice from Taitung wins Certification
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Fu Luh Organic Rice from Taitung wins int'l Certification
Taipei, March 3 (CNA) -- After a year of efforts, a group of 15 rice farmers in Taitung County, eastern Taiwan, were able to finally reap the results of their hard work Tuesday as the Fu Luh organic rice they grow has won recognition from the international certification group, GLOBALGAP.
"Everything on the lengthy road is worthy," said Tu Chin-jung, a local farmer who lead 14 peers to cultivate the purely organic high-end rice in cooperation with the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture (COA).
He was speaking following a ceremony held at a local rice promotion center in Luye, Taitung County, where he received the GLOBALGAP certification for the rice from Chao Shao-wei, director of the COA's eastern Taiwan branch.
"It is a great honor for local Fu Luh rice farmers to gain the top-shelf international certification," said Chao.
"For an illiterate man like me and some other partners, winning the GLOBALGAP means we can finally reach out to the world, in addition to solely serving local consumers," said Tu.
GLOBALGAP certification is a must for farm product exports to the European Union.
Liu Chang Yu-ming, a farmer in the organic rice cultivating group, expressed hope that the certification would provide access for Fu Luh rice to be exported to all of the world.
Currently, the group of Taitung farmers produce some 82 tons of Fu Luh rice per year, which is entirely provided to the Mos Burger fast food franchise restaurants in Taiwan.
Ivor Lin, manager of the SGS Taiwan Ltd., which is in charge of granting the GLOBALGAP for high-quality agricultural goods produced in Taiwan, said the screening and certifying process is extremely stringent and is in compliance with top world standards.
Some 50 representatives, including COA officials and Mos Burger representatives, witnessed the certification ceremony.
GLOBALGAP is a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe.
The GLOBALGAP standard is primarily designed to reassure consumers about how food is produced on the farm by minimizing detrimental environmental impacts of farming operations, reducing the use of chemical inputs and ensuring a responsible approach to worker health and safety as well as animal welfare.
GLOBALGAP serves as a practical manual for Good Agricultural Practice anywhere in the world. The basis is an equal partnership of agricultural producers and retailers who wish to establish efficient certification standards and procedures.
Source from GLOBALGAP |
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Published:2009-05-20
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