Published Date: 2021-09-22
Premier Su
Tseng-chang says Taiwan hopes to find new overseas markets to sell its
locally-grown sugar apples and wax apples. Su’s words on Wednesday come after
China temporarily banned imports of the two fruits.
China is still the
largest overseas buyer of Taiwanese agricultural produce, accounting for just
over half of all fruit exports in 2021. However, that proportion has fallen
significantly in the last year. In 2020, China was the destination for three
quarters of all Taiwanese fruit exports.
Su says China’s
ban on Taiwanese sugar and wax apples is “extremely improper”. He says China is
not following the rules and regulations of international trade.
Meanwhile, Su says
Taiwan is following proper procedure by asking China to cancel the ban. He says
if that has no effect, Taiwan will ask international organizations to weigh in.
Su says Taiwan
will also look for new markets for its agricultural produce to make up the gap
left by China’s recent ban. Taiwan successfully navigated China’s earlier ban
on Taiwanese pineapples. In the wake of that ban, pineapple shipments to Japan
increased more than eightfold.
Su says the
government is well aware that it “cannot put its eggs in one basket” when it
comes to export markets. He says the government is working hard to make sure
fruit farmers do not suffer from the effects of China’s ban.