Taiwanese strawberries now have carbon labels. The Miaoli District Agricultural Improvement Station of the Ministry of Agriculture conducted a carbon footprint audit of fresh strawberries at Taiyi Leisure Farm. After a year of training and review by the Ministry of Environment, the station successfully obtained a "Product Carbon Footprint Label" (hereinafter referred to as the carbon label). This label records the carbon footprint of the strawberries from production to recycling. The Miaoli Agricultural Improvement Station stated that it will provide guidance to businesses on targeted carbon reduction initiatives targeting hotspots and encourages consumers to purchase products with carbon footprint labels, thereby contributing to the industry's carbon reduction transformation.
The Ministry of Agriculture issued a press release on the 6th stating that the Miaoli Agricultural Research and Development Center conducted carbon inventory checks on a 400g plastic-boxed strawberry produced by Taiyi Leisure Farm, making it Taiwan's first strawberry to receive a carbon footprint label. The Miaoli Agricultural Research and Development Center noted that since the implementation of the carbon labeling system in 2009, over 500 products have received carbon labels, though most are in the food and manufacturing sectors, with relatively few agricultural products. The strawberry carbon labeling will not only expand the scope of agricultural products eligible for carbon labeling but also promote green consumption.
Director Lyu Xiuying of the Miaoli Agricultural Research and Development Center said that the strawberry carbon footprint is based on the "Carbon Footprint Category Rules (CFP-PCR) for Fresh Fruits" published by the Ministry of Environment, which records the carbon footprint emissions of strawberries from production to waste recycling.
The inventory results show that the total carbon footprint of "400g plastic box strawberries" produced by Taiyi Leisure Farm is 1.1kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). The carbon footprint ratios of each stage are as follows:
*Raw material acquisition accounts for 68.81%
*Manufacturing accounts for 30.81%
*Usage accounts for 0.33%
*Disposal accounts for 0.05%
The Miaoli Agricultural Innovation Station noted that the raw material stage of strawberry production accounts for the highest carbon footprint, followed by fertilizer, drip irrigation electricity, and seedlings as the top three carbon emission hotspots. To achieve its goal of a 3% reduction in carbon footprint within five years, the station will continue to assist Tai-I Leisure Farm in recruiting a professional technical team to provide guidance on optimizing fertilization management, improving fertilizer efficiency, and implementing energy-saving irrigation systems.
The Miaoli Agricultural Innovation Station is participating in the Ministry of Agriculture's "Agricultural Product Carbon Footprint Inventory Program." The Ministry of Agriculture stated that after a carbon footprint inventory, Taiyi Leisure Farm discovered carbon emission hotspots and will try switching to recycled paper containers and packaging. The Ministry of Agriculture will also assist more agricultural companies in obtaining carbon labels for their products, encourage businesses to reduce carbon emissions, and develop carbon reduction technologies.
The Miaoli Agricultural Innovation Center emphasizes that to encourage consumers to purchase products with carbon footprint labels, and to encourage more businesses and manufacturers to join the green carbon movement and produce low-carbon products, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the center will continue to provide guidance on agricultural product carbon footprint audits, encourage businesses to reduce carbon emissions, and develop carbon reduction technologies, working together to achieve sustainable carbon reduction in agricultural products. The center will also experiment with using recycled paper as packaging materials.
Carbon footprint certification for "400g strawberries in a plastic tote box." Image source: Miaoli Agricultural Improvement Station, Ministry of Agriculture
Source: Environmental Information Centre
