History

Chronological History

1996 As a result of the impact that the small-scale farming system had on the farmers, villagers were called on to form an agriculture production and marketing group for vegetables. 1997 The farmer group leader, Ming-Zuan Kuo, begun planting Iceberg lettuce, and after successful experimentation, encouraged group members to do the same. 2002 International harvest of Iceberg lettuce suffered, and the produce was sold to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea via traders. Iceberg lettuce produce continued to be sold to Singapore by means of strategic alliance. Moreover,support was garnered from the purchasing agent for MacDonald, Japan. 2003 By acquiring the Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) certification for safety in fruits and vegetables, production of safe and healthy Iceberg lettuce was able to continue. 2005 The system for traceability of agriculture products was introduced from Japan to increase the competitiveness of the Iceberg lettuce worldwide. 2006 Farmer group members visited Japan and participated in a technological exchange between farmers in Asama Town, Saku, Nagano, as an effort to improve planting technology and stabilize product quality. 2007 With “Taiwan Lettuce Village” as campaign title, a number of needs including “planned production, stable supplies, safe cultivation, and healthy fruits and vegetables” were put forth in order to provide fresh fruits and vegetables that are excellent in quality. 2007 The first “Taiwan Lettuce Village Food Festival” was held and well-received, allowing attendees to further appreciate the palatability of lettuce. 2008 Passed the Taiwan Good Agriculture Produce (TGAP) traceability certification for Iceberg lettuce conducted by the Food Safety Institute International. 2010 Certified by Global Good Agricultural Practices (Globalgap) via SGS in Taiwan for lettuce product.

Geographical Environment

Mailiao town is located at the northwest corner of Yunlin County. In the north, the JhuoShuei River and the DaCheng Township in Changhua County marks its boundaries. In the south, it is bordered by the Hsinhuwei River and the Taixi Township in Yunlin County. The Dongshi Township and Baozhong Township are neighboring towns. Also, it is joined in the east with Lunbei Township, and the Taiwan Straits lines its western shores.

Mailiao Town is situated in the subtropics area, where the annual average temperature is approximately 22°C. Its summers are long and average temperature ranges between 26°C~28°C, with the highest record of 39°C. In the winter, average temperatures falls around 15°C. Iceberg Lettuce grows best in regions with cool temperatures, and is suited for temperatures between 15°C-25°C.

The soil in Mailiao Town is sandy and drains water well. In the winter, the sea breeze is strong, which leads to quick daytime transpiration. In addition, the temperature difference between night and day is big, Due to this unique environment, Iceberg lettuce crops in Mailiao grow quickly, taste sweet, and have an extra refreshing texture.