Taiwan Offers Organic Sales Opportunity

TAIPEI - Feb 9/04 - SNS -- Taiwan offers organic commodity and food producers an important outlet for their production as interest in this type of food rises with the incomes and education levels of the people.

More importantly for potential exporters is the fact the country's current organic demand is met by domestic and imported products in a roughly 2:3 ratio (by value). The majority of domestic organic foods is sold as fresh produce, while most imported organic products arrive in processed formats.

Taiwan's Council of Agriculture (COA), recognizing the inadequacy of previous domestic guidelines for organic farming and certification, as defined under the island's National Organic Standard, announced revisions to that Standard on 15 September 2003. These revisions incorporated certain international organic standards as well as more restrictive guidelines for domestic organic farmers.

Active government involvement to clarify and police the use of organic claims and labels is targeted to earn greater credibility among consumers for domestically-raised certified organic products and accelerate organic sales.

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