Japan has replaced China as the world’s top importer of Taiwanese fruit, taking in 46.2 percent of the nation’s fruit exports, Council of Agriculture data showed.
Taiwan has over the past two years seen a shift in its target export markets, moving away from China and toward the US and Japan.
Produce exports to Japan grew by US$850 million, or 11 percent, council data showed.
Photo: Wu Chun-feng, Taipei Times
China had traditionally imported more than 80 percent of Taiwan’s produce.
To capitalize on the export shift, the council is planning new distribution methods in Japan, such as installing vending machines that sell Taiwanese fruit, a council employee said yesterday.
As most Japanese supermarkets close at 8pm, many have vending machines on their premises for people who cannot get to the store before closing time, and these venues could be opportunities for Taiwanese goods, the source said.
With China’s near-total suspension of imports of Taiwanese produce, alcohol and seafood, Taiwan is focusing more on Japan for export development.
Pineapple exports to Japan last year were valued at US$24.05 million, up 5.8 percent from 2021, while Japan imported 93 tonnes of pomeloes and other fruits from Taiwan, nearly doubling previous amounts, the council said.
Tea exports to Japan also grew to 600 tonnes, up 26 percent year-on-year, while soybean oil increased to 10,238 tonnes last year, with a value of US$15.61 million, council data showed.
The council’s International Division said it recently signed an agreement with the Japanese produce chain Wismettac Foods to annually import 3,500 tonnes of fresh pineapples, 100 tonnes of frozen pineapples and 1,500 tonnes of bananas.
Agricultural imports from the US last year reached US$4.65 billion, council data showed.
About US$1.71 billion of soybeans and other oil seeds were sourced from the US, marking a shift away from Russian supply.
Taiwan also imported US$2.1 billion worth of chicken meat from the US last year, a 31.2 percent increase from 2021, it added.
UNITY: Lai thanked the nations who spoke up for Taiwan, saying that democracies must stand together to face global authoritarian expansion Taiwan yesterday thanked eight European and Indo-Pacific countries for opposing unilateral changes to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait in a joint statement earlier this week, as well as three of Taiwan’s allies for speaking up for the nation’s participation in the UN at the body’s General Assembly in New York. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) welcomed the support and expressed his appreciation for the countries’ stance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Foreign ministers and senior representatives of Australia, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, South Korea and the UK issued a statement on Tuesday
PLEA: How the UN addresses Taiwan’s security issue would be a test of its strength and relevance, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine told the UN General Assembly Only Taiwan’s elected government can represent the people of Taiwan, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine said on Friday at the UN General Assembly, calling for the nation’s inclusion in the UN. Taiwan and its 23 million people are a reality, and only its democratically elected government can represent it, Heine said when addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly General Debate. Appropriate ways must be found for Taiwan’s substantive participation in UN meetings if the UN is to be truly inclusive and effective in years to come, she said. UN member states would experience pressure to accept a
AT-RISK GROUPS: Of the accumulated 1,586 severe cases and 304 related deaths in this flu season, 65.8% were older people and 83.2% had chronic diseases, an official said The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said that 165 severe flu cases and 30 flu-related deaths were reported last week, the highest weekly numbers in this flu season, and that cases might continue to increase, urging people to take precautions. Medical visits for flu-like illnesses increased by 1.4 percent to 141,374 last week, with 11.8 percent being emergency visits, showing that the seasonal flu is still in its epidemic period, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said. From Tuesday last week to Monday, 165 severe flu cases and 30 flu-related deaths were confirmed, the highest weekly numbers
FACTS DISTORTION: The MAC rejected Xi’s remarks that the US and ‘China’ fought side-by-side during WWII, saying the ROC was Washington’s true ally during the war Taiwan yesterday denounced Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) comments to US President Donald Trump on the nation’s future, after Xi appeared to push Trump for a subtle change in stance that could erode US support for Taiwan. Xi told Trump in Washington on Thursday that he hoped the US would adhere to the “correct position” of opposing Taiwanese independence, according to a Chinese readout of the talks. That would be a tougher version of Washington’s long-standing formulation that it does not “support” independence. There was no immediate White House readout of the exchange. Xi’s remarks represent “the consistent Chinese approach of distorting facts
RSS