Economy, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for less than 4 percent of the GDP. Taiwan’s chief agricultural areas are located on the island’s fertile western plains and basins. Rice is the principal food crop. Other major crops include sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, sugarcane, watermelons, pineapples, bananas, peanuts, mushrooms, tea, asparagus, and soybeans. Pigs, chickens, ducks, cattle, and goats are among the livestock raised.

Approximately 55 percent of the land is forested, but timber production is insufficient to meet domestic demand. The main timbers are oak, cedar, hemlock, bamboo, and rattan. Onshore and deep-sea fishing yield about 80 percent of the total catch; the remainder comes from along the coast and from cultivated ponds. Mackerel and tuna are the leading marine species caught.