Study on the Industry of Betel, Piper betle Linn (Piperaceae), Leaf in Taitung County

• Main Authors: Yi-Hung Lin, 林宜宏
• Other Authors: Po-Yung Lai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/45003533487683312401

碩士 === 國立屏東科技大學 === 熱帶農業暨國際合作系所 === 96 === Agriculture is the backbone of the production industry in Taitung County. Among the crops produced, rice, sugar apple, and betel leaves are the largest in production acreage. Of which, betel leaves, though is not the largest in terms of acreage, have the highest farm value with the most manpower and other resources invested. It is a crop that plays an important role in the agricultural development in Taitung County. Based on the statistical data published by the Council of Agriculture in 2006, the total acreage of betel leaves cultivated in Taitung County was 1,373.93 ha, which was about 84.65% of the total acreage of 1,622.89 has planted in Taiwan. This study was to explore the industry of betel leaves in Taitung, including age distribution of farmers, demography of farmers, cultivated acreage, and application of organic fertilizers. It is hoped that this study would serve an impetus for attracting the attentions of farmers and government agencies on the importance of the betel leaf industry. It is further hoped that results of this study could be used as a valuable reference for government agencies in their management of the betel leaf industry and provide a proper guide to betel leaf farmers in their pesticide and fertilizer application and management. Results of the field visits to betel leaf farms and the surveys of its farmers showed that majority of the betel leaf farmers were middle-age male at 40-60 years of age (74%). In addition, 71.5% of the farmers surveyed owned or operated in an acreage smaller than 1 ha and only 28.5% of the farmers surveyed owned or operated in an acreage greater than 1 ha. In fertilizer applications, all of the farmers surveyed indicated using organic fertilizers in their fertilization schemes and 83% of them were capable of self mixing or adjusting nutrients needed in the fertilizers used or purchasing commercial nutrient solutions for use on their farms. About one half of the farmers surveyed showed experiences in using organic composite fertilizers, conventional composite fertilizers, and soluble fertilizers. The proportion of farmers used fertilizers containing single elements of N, P and K was low.