1. Taiwan to Pilot Expanded Crop Registration System in 2027

To better regulate agricultural production and prevent supply-demand imbalances, Taiwan’s Minister of Agriculture Chen Jun-ji said on February 4 that the Ministry of Agriculture plans to expand its crop registration system, with promotional efforts set to begin in the second half of this year. The system is scheduled for a pilot run in 2027 and could be fully implemented as early as 2028. Chen said the ministry has established 17 to 18 agricultural databases over the past year, covering around 70 to 80 percent of planting and aquaculture stocking information, providing a solid foundation for production planning and supply-demand management. He noted that previous crop registration initiatives were limited to one or two products due to insufficient baseline data. With data infrastructure now largely in place, the ministry is in a better position to expand the system to more commodities, enabling more accurate production estimates and improved market stabilization. The expanded registration system will also include aquaculture stocking. The Fisheries Agency said that while stocking declarations were previously voluntary, they will become mandatory under the new system. The agency plans to develop a user-friendly mobile application to allow fishermen to report stocking volumes easily.

2. Fisheries Agency Ensures Stable Seafood Supply Ahead of Lunar New Year

As seafood demand rises ahead of the Lunar New Year, Taiwan's Fisheries Agency said it has completed preparations to ensure a stable supply during the holiday period, supported by coordinated market distribution, cold-chain operations, and upgraded ice-making facilities.　The agency said the Taichung and Gangshan fish markets, key wholesale hubs in central and southern Taiwan, recorded trading volumes of 12,785 metric tons and 4,258 metric tons, respectively, indicating sufficient supply.The Taichung Fish Market has adopted an electronic auction system to improve transaction transparency and efficiency, while the Gangshan Fish Market has expanded ice-making and cold storage capacity to 1.2 metric tons per day through government-funded upgrades, helping maintain stable operations during peak demand.The Fisheries Agency added that it has coordinated with local governments, industry groups, and wholesale markets to adjust supply distribution during the Lunar New Year, ensuring adequate availability of domestically produced seafood.