S10 - Session O1 - Challenges and strategies: The GAP certification of fruits in Taiwan

Authors: Wen-Li Lee *

Taiwan has special geographical land conditions that created sophisticated fruit trees management technology. Under the leadership of the Council of Agriculture Taiwan, fruit trees production has progressed from a general production technology that improves quality, yield, and coexistence such as high safety and environmental friendliness. Since 2004, Taiwan's government the concept of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) was adopted, and the GAP mark certification system was introduced for fruits and other crops. In 2006, the concept of traceability and ecological sustainability was introduced into the agricultural management system, and Taiwan's agricultural product traceability system was developed. The system combines Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), TGAP, and legal system standards. In 2007, the Law of Agricultural Production and Verification Management was formulated to compulsorily regulate the legal basis of agricultural production. In 2019, the Taiwan government integrated certification system began to implement TAP (Taiwan / Traceability Agricultural Product) which following principles: (1) Information disclosure can be traced, (2) Follow guideline of TGAP, (3) Third-party certification. It includes eight core values: (1) Traceability, (2) SOP systematic production, (3) Friendly environment, (4) Crop health management (5) Third-party certification, (6) Animal welfare, (7) Information transparency, and (8) Local fresh. As the content of the current TAP system emphasizes the safety and sustainability of agricultural products, while implementing the traceability of information disclosure, is completely voluntary. Moreover, because of small-scale agriculture in Taiwan, the promotion of GAP faces many challenges. This article will share Taiwan's experience in the production of high-quality fruits and the strategies for the GAP promotion.