Taiwan dwarf bean Taichung 6, a potential stock for export, was planted in Gaoping District.

Taichung 6, a new variety of dwarf beans, has been bred in Taichung District Agricultural improvement Farm of the Council of Agriculture for six years. "Taichung 6" has now been tested in Gaoping area, and it is expected to follow the export of frozen edamame beans and become another major product!

An export vegetable with promising potential-dwarf bean

Taiwan's vegetable export volume reached 69000 metric tons, with an export value of more than NT $3 billion, mainly with Japan as the exporter. Now there is another promising rising star-dwarf beans. According to Japanese customs statistics, Japan imported about 24800 tons of frozen beans in 2018. Chinese mainland and Thailand are the main importers, accounting for 55% and 30%, respectively, for restaurants, hospitals and group meals. In recent years, due to concerns about food safety and the increase in manual harvesting costs, the Japanese side has turned to ask whether Taiwan can produce and supply. According to the evaluation of Taiwan Frozen fruits and vegetables Association, the cultivation mode of dwarf bean is similar to that of edamame bean, and the production equipment can be shared, which can not only reduce the current production cost of edamame bean, but also increase the export items and output value.

Taichung said that since 2013, that is, with the cooperation of manufacturers of the Frozen Fruit and vegetable Trade Association, it has first introduced and screened existing foreign varieties, and recommended commercial varieties such as "fresh green", "Slenderette", "Vanguard", "fresh green" and "5991" for immediate use. at present, there are about 60 hectares of planting area, distributed from Chiayi to Pingtung. Related products were also unveiled at the Taiwan-Japan Frozen Agricultural products production and Marketing Symposium at the end of 2018 and the Tokyo Food Fair in early 2019, which were quite promising by all parties, and gradually developed their own varieties suitable for climate cultivation in Taiwan.

Taichung No. 6 can greatly reduce labor cost and high production efficiency.

The new dwarf bean variety "Taichung 6" obtained the plant variety right in March 2019. It has the characteristics of dark green pod color, 6mm pod diameter, no gluten and high sweetness, which all meet the current commodity specifications of frozen beans imported from Japan. The plant is short and upright, suitable for mechanical harvesting, and can greatly reduce labor costs. The growth period of this variety is short, it can be harvested 55-65 days after sowing, and the yield per share is about 0.8 million metric tons, with high production efficiency.

Taichung also explained that the suitable cultivation period for dwarf beans is from October to February next year, which is suitable for rice conversion in paddy fields or relay cultivation after edamame bean harvest. In the Agriculture and Food Department's green environment payment program for 2019, dwarf bean items have also been added to the "main export crop items", and it is estimated that the subsequent planting area will reach 400 hectares. I hope that under the successful experience of Taiwan's edamame bean industry. Strive to make dwarf beans the next potential blue chip stock!