Bilingual text here: https://english.ftvnews.com.tw/news/2026528W04EA?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description
雙語文字版: https://english.ftvnews.com.tw/news/2026528W04EA?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description
Our official website: ➔ https://english.ftvnews.com.tw/
Follow us on
Facebook: ➔ https://www.facebook.com/ftvformosanews
X (Twitter): ➔ https://x.com/FTV_Taiwan_News
To upgrade its agricultural production, Yilan has begun cultivating a variety of rice exclusively bred for making sake: Tainan No. 21, or Nantsang rice. An experimental paddy was planted in Zhuangwei Township, marking the county’s first foray into the sake market. The county government on May 26 held a ceremony at the plot with the Ministry of Agriculture and ITRI to officially launch their project using AI to produce sake rice, declaring their intent to bring Yilan sake to the world.
Yilan has pure water sources and a single-crop-per-year cultivation system that nurtures stable, high-quality rice, giving it a natural advantage when it comes to making sake. By also introducing the help of smart AI technologies, the county hopes to upgrade Yilan’s rice production even further. It’s the first time the county is harvesting the sake-specific Tainan No. 21-Nantsang variety of rice, which it hopes will help Yilan sake break into the global market.
Lin Mei-hua
Agriculture and Food Agency local director
For rice, we have three areas of focus: our original varieties, quality of production technology, and branding.
Zhuangwei Township was selected for the 1 hectare experimental paddy. After eight years of hard work, from managing the field, to keeping cultivation records, testing pesticides, harvesting, processing, and finally brewing, the initiative has successfully built a complete chain of production. Tainan No. 21 is so well suited for making sake because it is exceptional at retaining water, which helps keep fermentation stable and gives it flavor.
Hsu Lung-hsin
Tainan No. 21 researcher
We spent eight years conducting experiments and making selections before we ultimately chose Tainan No. 21.
The county government emphasized that the “Yilan Premium Select” rice brand will never use pesticides. Starting from this one demonstration plot, they hope this experiment with sake rice and smart agriculture will steer the rest of the industry toward high-value, tech-driven production. It will not only make Yilan’s products more competitive, but will also pivot the industry from contractorders toward stable retail distribution, clearing a path toward international markets.
For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53
#Yilan #rice #sakerice #sake #agriculture #AI #smartagriculture #farming #sustainability #MinistryofAgriculture #ITRI
#台灣新聞 #TaiwanNews #民視新聞 #FTV新聞 #Taiwan
