The Council of Agriculture is continuing with efforts to promote a 'fruit tree adoption' program it launched last year to help fruit farmers affected by Typhoon Morakot and revitalize the agricultural sector. The council's Agriculture and Food Agency said Friday that the program has received a warm response from the public and has substantially helped fruit farmers re-establish their typhoon-devastated orchards and ride out their difficulties. With more help still needed to get typhoon-affected farmers back on their feet, however, the agency is continuing to promote the adoption program. According to the agency, the trees can be adopted by 'unit, ' and the cost of each 'unit' this year has been adjusted downward to between NT$1,000 (US$32.25) and NT$3,000 from last year's NT$2,500- NT$3,000, with the aim of encouraging more people to join the drive. The types of fruit trees offered for adoption are bellfruit, jujube, papaya, lychee, ai-wen mango, jin-huang mango and custard apple. Under the program, a guaranteed amount of fruit per unit, weighing from 6 kg to 18 kg, will be delivered to adopters during the harvest season, according to the agency. The program will run through the end of October and all the fruit will be delivered to adopters by the end of June 2011, depending on the respective harvest seasons. 