1. President Lai Inspects Disaster Damage at Beimen Fishing Port

Typhoon Danas brought strong winds that severely damaged the fishing industry in the Beimen area of Tainan. On the afternoon of July 8, President Lai Ching-te traveled south to inspect the disaster site, accompanied by Minister of Agriculture Chen Jun-ji and Director-General of the Fisheries Agency Wang Mao-cheng. The delegation visited Luzhugou Fishing Port in Beimen to assess the extent of damage to local fishing vessels. President Lai pledged to instruct relevant government agencies to proceed with recovery efforts and subsidy applications. He emphasized that the Ministry of Agriculture has already announced eligibility criteria for emergency cash relief for fishing vessels affected by natural disasters within designated fishing port areas. The government, he said, will handle recovery operations and aid applications promptly, generously, and efficiently.

2. Taiwan Rice Expands into European Market with Historic Export Deal
Renowned for its high quality and exceptional taste, Taiwanese rice has recently achieved remarkable success in export markets. With guidance and support from the Agriculture and Food Agency (AFA), a strategic partnership has been formed between Dong Yuan Grain Co., Ltd. and Taiwan Premium Rice Co., Ltd., enabling them to successfully penetrate the European consumer market. Together, the companies have secured export orders from eight European countries—namely the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Finland. By the end of the year, a total of 1,200 metric tons of Taiwanese rice will be exported to supply restaurant chains and Asian supermarkets across these regions. This marks the largest European export deal in the history of Taiwan's rice industry and signals a major breakthrough in bringing Taiwan’s premium contract-grown rice to international dining tables.