The Cabinet yesterday passed a proposal to promote sophisticated agriculture, with the goal of doubling the niche market’s output value to NT$158.9 billion (US$4.79 billion) and creating 31,000 jobs within four years.

The proposal suggests promoting “health agriculture,” with a view to boost the percentage of toxin and pesticide-free farming land from 3 percent of total arable land to 6 percent.

The second part of the proposal would promote Taiwan’s agricultural biotechnology on the global market. The COA said it expected the global market’s value to grow from US$37.4 billion in 2007 to US$63 billion in 2013.

Council of Agriculture (COA) Deputy Minister Hu Sing-hwa (???) said Taiwan was already a global leader in the field.

Hu said the proposal reflected a shift in agricultural policy from focusing on production to promoting a high-standard of living.

“Farmers were the only focus of policies for high-quality agriculture under former administrations, but our proposal aims to benefit everyone,” Hu said.

The government would earmark NT$6.833 billion over a four-year period to establish Taiwan as a global logistics center for the orchid market, expand the overseas market for grouper fish, set up centers for incubation of livestock, aquaculture and agriculture, and create six enclosed farms for genetically modified crops.

The proposal also involves incorporating recreational activities into the sector, with a goal of attracting 30 million visits per year to rural villages by 2012.

Hu said the proposal included NT$15.908 billion to create three lowland-forest recreation areas covering more than 1,000 hectares each, to renovate more than 4,000 villages and to build two yacht harbors, two recreational fishing ports and four recreational agriculture areas.