Taiwan sets world record in rice planting
CNA 2012-12-11 14:59
Farmers transplant rice seedlings on a plot of land. (Photo/Yang Ming-feng)
Wu Chih-yang, a magistrate from northern Taiwan's Taoyuan county, led more than 1,000 farmers Sunday in a ceremonial harvest of 300,000 rice seedlings that were planted in August to set a new world record for the largest number of people transplanting rice seedlings on a plot of land.
A total of 1,215 farmers from Taoyuan transplanted seedlings on a 2.1-hectare plot of rice paddy near the Hsinwu Expressway in Taoyuan in 16 minutes and 20 seconds Aug. 18, smashing the previous Guinness World Record set in Thailand that saw over 900 people planting seedlings on a 1.6-hectare tract of land in 30 minutes and 35 seconds.
"It was the pride of Taoyuan residents," Wu said at the harvest ceremony, adding that Taoyuan farmers have also won national awards for three consecutive years for high quality of rice produced in the country.
The county government will continue working with the research institute of Taiwan's Council of Agriculture's to further improve the quality of locally grown rice, Wu said, adding that the county government will also help promote rice exports and encourage plantation on fallow farmland.
"We believe revived plantation on fallow farmland will help resolve world food shortage problems over the long run," Wu said.
Braving rain and chilly weather, farmers and other participants also sang and danced to celebrate the good harvest during the Sunday event. Some farmers demonstrated rice husking.
Taiwan's agriculture minister Chen Bao-ji and ambassadors or representatives of six countries — Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Jordan, the Gambia and the Czech Republic — also attended the event.
The foreign envoys said they were impressed by Taiwan's unique rice culture.
