Changhua County
Agricultural heartland meets industrial corridor: 13.85% of Taiwan's pigs + Google's largest Asian data center. Pig farming modernizing (773→940 heads/farm). By 2026, data center expansion and ag-biotech test dual-sector coexistence.
Fertile alluvial plains made Changhua Taiwan's agricultural heartland; strategic location made it an industrial corridor. The county produces 13.85% of Taiwan's pigs (736,491 heads) while hosting the Changhua Coastal Industrial Park (food production, glass, textiles, plastics) and Google's largest Asian data center.
This juxtaposition of agriculture and industry reflects Taiwan's compressed development. Irrigated rice, sugarcane, peanuts, corn, and sweet potatoes grow alongside manufacturing facilities. The county demonstrates that industrial upgrading doesn't require agricultural abandonment—both sectors coexist, sharing labor pools and infrastructure.
Pig farming illustrates the modernization trajectory: average breeding scale increased from 773 heads (2018) to 940 heads (2024), concentrating production in fewer, more efficient operations. Similar intensification occurs in crop production as vertical farming technologies developed in Taiwan's high-tech sector find agricultural applications.
2026 trajectory: Data center expansion continues (Google, other hyperscalers). Agricultural biotechnology receives investment as Taiwan positions food security alongside semiconductor dominance. The county balances industrial recruitment against agricultural preservation, testing whether dual identity strengthens or strains.