“Bamboo Shoot Processing Factory” Construction Complete In Lijia Village, Astronomical Telescope Donated Also Operational

 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is sponsoring the “Bamboo Shoot Processing Factory” in Lijia Village and will hold its operational ceremony on Saturday (23rd). The Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council, Executive Yuan, Lijia Community Development Association, TSMC, and Taiwan Development Institute all participated in the factory project. Lijia Village is going from micro agricultural phase of self planting and self harvesting to sophisticated food processing phase, creating significant added value to its agricultural products, which would increase the village’s economic value and represents an important milestone of local industry transition and restructuring.

Bamboo shoots are the largest agriculture product in Lijia; bamboo shoot farmers reside in every family of the village. The village produces 800,000kg of Phyllostachys lithophila Hayata (轎篙筍) per annum and 900,000kg of Dendrocalamus latiflorus(麻竹筍) per annum, totaling over 40 million in commercial value. Fresh bamboo shoots are often sold to wholesalers by farmers at a significant discount because they have a short shelf life, but after the Morakot disaster, TSMC sponsored building a bamboo shoot processing factory with equipment like a steam boiler and large steam cooker. TSMC not only wishes to establish processing capacity by providing practical training and education to village farmers to produce bamboo shoots in air-tight packaging, but also will bring in consultants of food certification and organic certification system in order to certify organic produce from the village, a jump start for their agricultural goods in distribution channels.

The Reconstruction Council states that a series of activities from “Blue Village-Stars and Fireflies Re-shining Lijia” has consolidated efforts from central government, local authorities, private enterprises and local communities. Local tourism is being re-launched after introducing fireflies and stargazing as two main attractions; local industry transitions were made possible with support from private enterprise, which is best represented by TSMC in sponsoring of building the “Bamboo Shoot Processing Factory” and “Tea Leaf Processing Factory”; they have infused local industries with a beating heart. The Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan (CLA) will be offering 12 onsite job opportunities in conjunction with completion of bamboo shoot and tea leaf factories, assist in factory processing and safeguard village residents with stable jobs.

In addition to the bamboo shoot factory operational ceremony, the gifting of an astronomical instrument is also to be presented. The Reconstruction Council helped to realize the Lijia stargazing tourism industry by introducing teaching materials and lecturers from the Taipei Astronomical Museum. TSMC also participated and even sponsored equipment, to which residents were grateful. Furthermore, the ground breaking of the tea leaf factory and reconstruction of route 169 of the county road between Lijia bridge and Yohunge connecting road will be celebrated into the evening. A Tsou tribe traditional dancing performance, local banquet, village campfire and watching of fireflies and stars are just all part of the celebration, welcoming everyone who enjoys outdoor activities. More information on activity details can be found at the Reconstruction Council website under “Stars and Fireflies Re-shining Lijia”.

(http://download-88flood.www.gov.tw/Lijia1000402/Lijia1000402.html)