A national delegation of farmers has secured more than NT$2.37 billion (US$76.69 million) of orders at Foodex Japan, Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) said at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.
Chen has been involved in a spat with Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) about promoting exports since a disagreement in 2017, when the council asked Han to resign from his post as general manager at Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co (台北農產運銷公司).
The two have also bickered about agricultural issues since Han became mayor on Dec. 25 last year.
Photo: CNA
The council on Tuesday led a delegation of more than 140 to Foodex Japan, which ended yesterday, and 22 groups exhibiting at the council’s pavilion secured NT$2.37 billion of orders as of Thursday, Chen said.
That figure would be higher if the orders secured by other Taiwanese exhibitors outside the pavilion are added, he added.
Asked by reporters if the council has become more proactive since the dispute with Han, Chen said the achievement was the result of the joint efforts of Taiwanese businesses and government agencies, and that the council is more concerned about farmers making money than taking credit for the achievement.
Among the orders secured in Japan, Kaohsiung-based Chishan Association of Fruits and Vegetables Distribution signed a three-year contract to sell 9,000 tonnes of bananas to Wismettac Asian Foods Inc, he said.
Mitagri Co (台農發) signed a memorandum of understanding with Funasho Shoji Co for an order of 1,000 tonnes of bananas, he added.
Fisheries groups secured orders totaling NT$1.8 billion, involving the export of tuna, bream, striped bass and Sakura shrimps, Chen said.
The nation’s agricultural exports to Japan totaled US$920 million last year and they are expected to reach US$1 billion this year, Chen said, adding that Japan is the second-largest importer of Taiwanese agricultural products after the US.
Meanwhile, a Japanese firm expressed its intention to invest in cooling and logistics systems for agricultural products in Taiwan, although its identity cannot be revealed at present, Chen said.
The council is also discussing agricultural exports with Singapore, he said.
“It is not only about trade,” as the high quality demanded in Japan means Taiwan has to upgrade its production and management methods, Chen said, expressing his hope that more Taiwanese products would be sold in Japan during next year’s Tokyo Summer Olympics.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS