Increased orders for Taiwanese pineapples have helped the government overcome a crisis sparked by China’s ban on the fruit, but healthier agricultural policies are needed as “pineapple nationalism” ends.
On Tuesday last week, the Council of Agriculture announced that domestic and international orders for local pineapples reached 41,687 tonnes, exceeding the amount sold to China last year, meaning that the nation survived China’s abrupt ban on imports announced on Feb. 26.
Following Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu’s (吳釗燮) call to back “freedom pineapples,” many foreign agencies, including the American Institute in Taiwan, the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, the Japanese-Taiwan Exchange Association, the Polish Office in Taipei and the Czech-Taiwanese Business Chamber, have shown their love for the fruit and dishes that contain it on social media.
By comparison, the Australian Office Taipei was quiet, despite Wu’s reference to “freedom wine” promoted by Australia when he launched the pineapple initiative. The Australian office’s reticence was unusual, considering its efforts to deepen bilateral ties.
A report by Australia’s ABC News might shed some light on the matter. Citing a Taipei Times report that 6 tonnes of pineapples are expected to arrive in Australia in May, ABC News quoted a company manager as saying that Australian farmers were concerned about biosecurity and competition. Local media also reported that an air delivery of another 2 tonnes to Australia scheduled for this week was suspended because the packaging did not meet Australian standards.
Meanwhile, Japan-based Wismettac Asian Foods Inc was reported to have rejected 750 boxes of bananas from Taiwan due to excessive pesticide levels.
Despite the Council of Agriculture’s subsidies for shipments and air cargo, it is never easy to sell agricultural products to markets other than China, which remains the main destination of Taiwan’s agricultural exports. For local farmers, selling to China is easier, because its proximity means lower transportation costs and less difficulty keeping products fresh. Also, China’s biosecurity requirements are usually less strict than in Japan and other countries.
While local growers take pride in their products being exported to Japan, which is known for its strict quality and appearance standards for products, not many are capable of sustaining quality agriculture or eschewing pesticides.
With the aging of farmers and the fragmentation of agricultural land, farming in Taiwan is difficult, not to mention that growers are often asked to suspend irrigation during water shortages, as the government usually prioritizes supply for semiconductor firms.
With these challenges in mind, the government should help the agricultural sector transform by providing steady technical support and resources, and avoid giving growers the impression that it only cares about them during election season.
Taiwan is known for its exceptional work developing cultivars, such as mango pineapples and peach wax apples introduced last year. The government should work with retailers to promote special cultivars to increase revenue for growers, while taking legal action to protect the genetics. It should also develop tailored strategies for selling products to nearby and distant countries.
Although there are many online platforms to promote local crops, few are designed for foreigners, another area that needs improvement. The government also needs to work with local authorities to improve communication with growers so that they stop planting a crop if supply is forecast to outweigh demand.
Supply and demand imbalance, which can cause crop prices to collapse, is an issue in Taiwan almost every year. To minimize the effect of market fluctuations, authorities should plan with growers in mind, rather than getting lost in agricultural politics.
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