Taiwan and Australia are to work together growing quality lychees year-round, a move expected to add value to the tropical fruit for which Taiwan possesses advanced cultivation techniques, said Chang Jer-way, senior horticulturist at the Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Branch under the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) on Friday. The idea is to take advantage of the complementary climates in the two countries to extend the short lychee production season, which has led to demand exceeding supply.
台灣農業研究所嘉義農業試驗所研究員張哲瑋上週五表示，台灣和澳大利亞將聯手種植荔枝，全年皆可生產優質荔枝，台灣目前已擁有先進的荔枝栽培技術，此項計畫預期將為該水果增值。這個想法是利用台澳兩國相反的氣候，來延長荔枝生產季節。荔枝由於生產季節短，因此常供不應求。
Under a memorandum of understanding signed last year between the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and TARI, the lychees will be transplanted in Queensland, where the weather pattern is very similar to that of southern Taiwan, where lychees are grown.
依據台灣農業研究所與澳洲昆士蘭省農漁部去年所簽署的合作備忘錄，荔枝將被移植到昆士蘭省，那裡的氣候類型與種植荔枝的台灣南部非常相似。
“We hope to create a year-round supply chain of Taiwanese lychees through cooperation with a country in the southern hemisphere, and perhaps apply that model to other fruits,” Chang said.
張哲瑋說：「我們希望透過與南半球國家的合作，建立一個可全年供應台灣荔枝的供應鏈，並可能把這個模式應用於其他水果。」
This is the first time that Taiwan has experimented with this business model in fruit production, and if the partnership works out, Taiwan could profit through royalties and elevate its global profile as a high-quality lychee exporter, according to Chang.
這是台灣在水果生產上首次嘗試這種商業模式，如果合作關係成功，台灣可以通過權利金獲利，提升其作為優質荔枝出口商的全球形象。
The project is highly anticipated by Australia as well, said Catherine Raper, representative of the Australian Office in Taipei. The partnership with Taiwan complements Australia’s own national interests, Raper said, noting that it is the first time Australia has launched this type of agricultural cooperation with other countries, too.
澳洲辦事處駐台北代表雷家琪表示，澳洲方面也高度期待此合作計畫。跟台灣的合作和澳洲自身的國家利益是互補的，這也是澳洲首次與其他國家展開這種農業合作。
According to TARI, Taiwan grows about 90,000 tonnes of lychees a year, mostly from May to July. While they cost around NT$40 (US$1.30) per kilogram at the retail level in Taiwan, they can cost around NT$100 per kilo in other countries, presenting a good export opportunity for Taiwanese producers of the fruit.
據台灣農業研究所統計，台灣每年生產荔枝約九萬噸，大部分是在五月至七月之間。在台灣的零售價約為每公斤四十元（一點三美元），而在其他國家的售價則可達每公斤一百元左右，為台灣果農提供了出口的良機。
Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2017/11/29/2003683082