Taiwanese rice exports to Japan reached 7,759 tonnes in the first five months of this year, a sixfold increase amid a 101.7 percent price surge in Japanese-grown rice compared with the same period last year, data from the Ministry of Agriculture showed.
As the price of domestic Japanese rice continues to rise due to shortages, many Japanese have turned to imported rice, boosting demand for Taiwanese-grown varieties.
Fang Rong Rice Factory, a century-old operation in Tainan’s Houbi District (後壁區), has also capitalized on this trend, exporting 500 tonnes of Tainan No. 11 milled rice earlier this month.
Photo courtesy of the Tainan City Government
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) on Friday said that many Southeast Asian countries have implemented protectionist policies on rice imports, and Japan previously had even stricter regulations in this area.
However, many Japanese rice suppliers have visited Taiwan to purchase rice due to the domestic shortage, Huang said.
Fang Rong’s milled rice was well-received by Japanese buyers for its high quality, having passed all pesticide and chemical residue tests.
Photo courtesy of the Tainan City Government
The rice exports to Japan not only enable Japanese consumers to eat delicious rice from Tainan, but also showcase the agricultural capabilities and potential of the county, he said.
The ministry has been committed to promoting Taiwan-grown rice in Japan, generating increasing interest among Japanese consumers.
The Japanese-language Nippon Television reported that Taiwan’s rice exports to Japan have surged, with Taiwanese rice competing with domestic varieties in texture and quality.
The report also cited ministry data showing that Taiwanese rice exports to Japan from January to last month reached 7,759 tonnes, a sixfold increase compared with the same period last year.
Additionally, several Japanese online influencers have shared videos documenting their experiences tasting Taiwanese rice, using it to create dishes tailored to Japanese tastes, such as cooked white rice with soy sauce or natto.
Some of them said that Taiwan-grown rice was “surprisingly tasty” and had a bouncy, chewy mouthfeel similar to Koshihikari — a Japanese rice variety — despite less sweetness and umami.
They said the Taiwanese rice tasted nearly identical to Japan-grown varieties when used in more heavily seasoned dishes, such as grilled meat rice, curry rice or beef bowls.
While Taiwan-grown rice tastes “different from usual” when used in traditional Japanese dishes such as cold rice balls or bentos, it is still a satisfying alternative given its price, they said.
A TV program on STV News also compared the taste and texture of Taiwan-grown rice to its Japanese counterparts.
The hosts and guests said that the rice from Taiwan had a similar appearance, aroma, sweetness and mouthfeel to locally grown rice.
The program said that Taiwan-grown rice suited local consumers’ taste, as it had been improved and tailored to Japanese’ preferences.
It also recommended purchasing Taiwan-grown rice, given its lower prices compared with local rice.
South Korea has adjusted its electronic arrival card system to no longer list Taiwan as a part of China, a move that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said would help facilitate exchanges between the two sides. South Korea previously listed “Taiwan” as “Taiwan (China)” in the drop-down menus of its online arrival card system, where people had to fill out where they came from and their next destination. The ministry had requested South Korea make a revision and said it would change South Korea’s name on Taiwan’s online immigration system from “Republic of Korea” to “Korea (South),” should the issue not be
Tainan, Taipei and New Taipei City recorded the highest fines nationwide for illegal accommodations in the first quarter of this year, with fines issued in the three cities each exceeding NT$7 million (US$220,639), Tourism Administration data showed. Among them, Taipei had the highest number of illegal short-term rental units, with 410. There were 3,280 legally registered hotels nationwide in the first quarter, down by 14 properties, or 0.43 percent, from a year earlier, likely indicating operators exiting the market, the agency said. However, the number of unregistered properties rose to 1,174, including 314 illegal hotels and 860 illegal short-term rental
Both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a political foundation based on the “1992 consensus” and opposition to Taiwanese independence, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) today said during her meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Both sides of the Strait should plan and build institutionalized and sustainable mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation based on that foundation to make peaceful development across the Strait irreversible, she said. Peace is a shared moral value across the Strait, and both sides should move beyond political confrontation to seek institutionalized solutions to prevent war, she said. Mutually beneficial cross-strait relations are what the
ECONOMIC COERCION: Such actions are often inconsistently applied, sometimes resumed, and sometimes just halted, the Presidential Office spokeswoman said The government backs healthy and orderly cross-strait exchanges, but such arrangements should not be made with political conditions attached and never be used as leverage for political maneuvering or partisan agendas, Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said yesterday. Kuo made the remarks after China earlier in the day announced 10 new “incentive measures” for Taiwan, following a landmark meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) in Beijing on Friday. The measures, unveiled by China’s Xinhua news agency, include plans to resume individual travel by residents of Shanghai and China’s Fujian
RSS