Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a Taiwan-based developer of semiconductors, has commissioned a new tea production unit in Alishan region in central Taiwan.

TSMC has developed the plant in order to support Lijia aboriginal tribe affected by Typhoon Morakot in 2009.

According to the company, tea, with an annual output of 40,800 kg, is the major crop among the Lijia tribe.

The company has donated TWD$70m ($2.37m) towards the rehabilitation of the Morakot Typhoon-affected people in the region.

TSMC chairman Morris Chang’s wife Sophie Chang has proposed the idea to construct the plant in the region.

TSMC New Fab Planning and Engineering Division director Arthur Chuang told United Evening News that it may take them three months to construct a wafer fab, but it took a year to build this tea plant.

Chuang said, the company had to tackle many issues related to the required equipment and devices for the facility, besides the problems related to the hilly construction site.

The new tea facility has a capacity to generate TWD15m ($0.50m) in revenue and is expected to support to the local tea farmers to produce value added products.

TSMC expects that the plant will increase local per capita earning by 15-20%.

Through the project, TSMC aims to provide employment to the Typhoon-affected people of the region and stop migration from the region.

The company officials will also provide training and workshops on tea production.

TSMC has also set up a bamboo shoot processing factory and an agricultural produce sales and exhibition center for the local people in the region.