High-end agriculture migrates from Taiwan

Chung Te-Chuan, a businessman from Taiwan, said he is happy to see his high-quality ecological and agricultural products selling well in markets on the Chinese mainland.

"Last year, my daughter helped me promote the ecological fruit and vegetable products in Shanghai, and she achieved good results," he said.

After more than 10 years of development, the premium products he grows in Longyan, Fujian province, have gradually become recognized and beloved by mainland consumers, and sales are growing steadily.

Chung and his wife currently operate a store in the downtown area in Longyan, selling high-end vegetables and fruits. They also offer Taiwan cuisine to convey the idea that compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are part of the same big family.

"Development opportunities on the mainland are much better than in Taiwan and the development of ecological and fine agriculture has great potential," he said.

Chung, who once ran a freight company in Dongguan, Guangdong province, was attracted by the natural scenery and ecological environment when he arrived in Longyan to seek opportunities in 2008. After careful consideration, he decided to invest in agriculture and grow varieties of vegetables and fruits from Taiwan in Longyan.

He rented more than 20,000 square meters of mountain land in a village and built greenhouses in which to plant organic vegetables and fruit using technology from Taiwan.

"The seeds of my vegetables and fruit are new varieties introduced from Taiwan," he said.

Chung said he was supported by the city's office of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao affairs as he established his ecological agricultural garden. The local Party committee and government have also helped solve many problems, he said.

In addition, the local government this year introduced a series of preferential policies to support and help investors start their business in the city.

With the rapid development of his business, Chung is helping poor households escape poverty. He distributed cultivated seedlings to them for planting, and then helped them sell the mature products.

"Last year, I supported and aided more than a dozen poverty-stricken households, and each household earned an additional annual income from 5,000 to 8,000 yuan ($1,230)," he said.

After more than a decade of development on the mainland, Chung has settled down in Longyan, confident about the mainland market. His wife and mother-in-law are now living with him.