The Importance of Greenhouse Horticulture in Taiwan
Taiwan is no stranger to natural disasters. Positioned in the Pacific Ring of Fire and along a typhoon belt, the island frequently experiences earthquakes, typhoons and heavy rainfall, which pose significant challenges to its agricultural sector.
Addressing Losses from Natural Disasters
The agricultural sector in Taiwan is particularly vulnerable to the destructive forces of nature. With their strong winds and torrential rains, Typhoons often ravage open-field crops, leaving farmers with little to no harvest. Prolonged periods of heavy rainfall cause flooding and soil erosion, while extreme temperature fluctuations—whether heatwaves or unexpected cold snaps—affect crop growth and quality. These natural disasters often lead to widespread crop damage, disruptions in the supply chain, and severe financial losses for farmers. Taiwan’s export of flowers and fruits requires stable production in greenhouses due to the need for consistent quality, quantity, and year-round supply. In the face of these challenges, greenhouse horticulture has been one of the key policies promoted by the Taiwanese government over the past several years to safeguard Taiwan’s agricultural output, food security, and long-term export quality.
In November 2024 alone, Typhoon Kong-Rey caused agricultural losses amounting to 40 million euros (1.38 billion New Taiwan Dollars). Close to its center, Kong-Rey was packing winds over 200km/h, making it the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. The top five affected crops were pears, rice, custard apples, garlic, and sweet corn.
Protected Agriculture in Taiwan
Protected agriculture is used to enhance crop production by creating a controlled environment that shields plants from harsh weather, pests, and diseases. It improves yield, quality, and resource efficiency. In Taiwan, protected agriculture is widely used for high-value crops such as vegetables, fruits, flowers (like orchids), and leafy greens, ensuring stable production despite frequent typhoons and climate variability. The common types include:
- Plastic Tunnels: Common for cultivating crops such as lettuce and herbs, these low-cost structures help regulate temperature and moisture.
- Strengthened horizontal rack net house: Often used for leafy vegetables, net houses protect from pests and excessive sunlight.
- Simple plastic greenhouse: These are widely used for growing vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, as well as fruits like melons and strawberries.
- Structural steel greenhouse: Used for orchids and other ornamental plants to regulate light and heat exposure.
The crops most commonly cultivated using protected agriculture methods in Taiwan include:
- Vegetables: Tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper
- Fruits: Melon, grape, jujube, passion fruit, and dragon fruit
- Ornamental Plants: Orchid is a significant export product for Taiwan.
- Leafy Greens: Water spinach, pak choi, lettuce
Opportunities for improved greenhouse structures in Taiwan
Natural disasters pose a serious threat to Taiwanese agricultural and horticultural production. A lot of the current greenhouse structures in Taiwan are vulnerable to the strong typhoons and heavy rains. Mainly plastic greenhouses (PE films) are often overturned and damaged, causing crop damage and forcing farmers to reconstruct their greenhouses. Whereas this article focuses on the impact of natural disasters, there are many other benefits of improved greenhouse structures in Taiwan. For example, Taiwan has a subtropical and tropical climate, with high temperatures and humidity in summer, which can easily lead to the outbreak of diseases (such as gray mold and powdery mildew) and affect crop growth. Additionally, the internal temperature of traditional plastic greenhouses can exceed 40°C during high-temperature seasons. Without good ventilation and cooling equipment, crops are prone to heat damage, leggy growth, and even death. Finally, the equipment and automation are insufficient. Many greenhouses used by farmers are still mainly managed manually, and automated environmental control systems (such as temperature, humidity, moisture sensing, and regulation) are lacking, making it difficult to maintain the best environment stably. High-tech glass greenhouses or climate control systems are expensive and difficult for ordinary small farmers to afford, so most still use simpler plastic greenhouses, resulting in limited results.
Looking towards the future and ways of addressing the challenges that Taiwanese farmers encounter, the Dutch greenhouse industry can play an important role. The Dutch greenhouse industry is globally renowned for its advanced technology and expertise, making Taiwan a good destination for investment. Taiwan’s government has actively promoted greenhouse horticulture, providing subsidies for greenhouse construction and equipment purchases for growers. The market is ready for modern greenhouse systems and climate control technology, which align with Taiwan’s need for efficient, resilient, and stable high-yield farming. For high-value export products like orchids, which demand exceptional quality, and tropical fruits like pineapples and mangoes, which require precise growing conditions, greenhouses play a critical role in maintaining uniformity and meeting international standards. Additionally, stable production enhances Taiwan’s global competitiveness, strengthens its reputation as a reliable supplier, and helps farmers meet the stringent requirements of export markets like Japan and Europe.
For more information, please visit Agriculture and Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture website: https://www.afa.gov.tw/eng/ or contact Ms. Wendy Liang at Netherlands Office Taipei, TAI-LVVN@nlot.org.tw