Shigang Farmers' Association Rice Mill Introduction
During the Taisho period of Japanese rule, the Japanese set up credit unions in various locations to manage the production and sale of rice in Taiwan. It wasn't until after World War II that these were transformed into agricultural associations. Agriculture was once the mainstay of early livelihoods and the economy, with rice production being the primary agricultural output in Shihgang. As such, the agricultural associations took on the crucial responsibilities of processing, promoting, and improving agricultural products. The rice milling granary factories of that time held significant importance and were an indispensable part of the historical development of the Shihgang District. The Shihgang Agricultural Association's "Rice Milling Granary" was built in the 17th year of the Showa era (1942) and functioned as a rice milling factory. Structurally, it is a precision wooden construction. However, with the gradual transformation of agriculture and a significant decline in rice production, it inevitably became a part of history. After being damaged in the 921 earthquake in 1999, it received a subsidy of 7 million NT dollars from the Cultural Construction Committee of the Executive Yuan, along with 7.55 million NT dollars raised by the original Shihgang Township Office, and has been restored by the office to this day.
