Taiwan's First Flower Carbon Footprint Survey Reveals Carbon Footprint of Phalaenopsis Seedlings

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has completed Taiwan's first flower carbon footprint survey. Using the export主力 Phalaenopsis orchid as a model crop, the carbon footprint of one 2.5-inch seedling was found to be 0.4 kg CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent). The technology for this survey has already been transferred.

In a press release on the 10th, the MOA stated that in response to the global 2050 net-zero emissions target and international market carbon reduction regulations, it is promoting low-carbon transformation in the agricultural sector along four core axes: "Reduction, Carbon Sink Enhancement, Circular Economy, and Green Trends."

The MOA said that the Flower Innovation Park Research and Development Center (Flower Innovation Center) took the lead in using Taiwan's export主力 flower, the Phalaenopsis orchid, as a model crop, successfully completing Taiwan's first flower carbon footprint survey.

According to the Flower Innovation Center's survey results, the carbon footprint of one 2.5-inch Phalaenopsis seedling is 0.4 kg CO2e.

The MOA stated that completing the carbon footprint survey for Phalaenopsis seedlings not only establishes a specific quantitative benchmark but also helps the industry accurately grasp carbon emission hotspots, serving as an important basis for future carbon reduction and management.

Taiwan's Phalaenopsis orchid industry is highly internationally competitive. According to MOA statistics, the export ratio is over 80%, with an output value of approximately NT$5 billion. One out of every three Phalaenopsis orchids in the global market comes from Taiwan, and they are mainly exported in the form of seedlings.

The MOA said that in the face of the international net-zero trend and the gradual strengthening of carbon disclosure and product environmental information requirements by various countries, introducing carbon footprint surveys in advance will not only help enhance corporate image and product added value but also attract export markets that value sustainability, thereby consolidating and strengthening the international competitive advantage of Taiwan's flower industry.

The Flower Innovation Center stated that this survey followed the guidelines of the Environmental Protection Administration, integrated and summarized the key production processes of Phalaenopsis through interviews with operators of different business scales and product types, and collected the corresponding carbon dioxide emissions for each process. They developed a "Phalaenopsis Production Process Carbon Emission Hotspot Analysis Program" that can quickly calculate the carbon emissions and total amount for each process. The technology transfer for this program has been completed.