Japan was the largest importer of Taiwanese mangoes in the first seven months of this year, purchasing more than 500 tonnes, Ministry of Agriculture data showed.
From January to July, Taiwan exported 1,510 tonnes of mangoes worth nearly US$8.95 million, with Japan accounting for the largest share by volume and value.
Exports to Japan — including fresh, dried and frozen mangoes as well as mango juice — totaled 515 tonnes valued at nearly US$5.08 million.
Photo: Taipei Times
The US was the second-largest buyer, importing 463 tonnes at about US$1.28 million, followed by South Korea with 141 tonnes worth nearly US$1.1 million.
Last year, Taiwan exported 3,658 tonnes of mango products worth US$16.18 million. Japan again topped the list at nearly US$5.56 million, followed by South Korea (US$4.72 million) and Hong Kong (US$2.34 million).
However, in terms of quantity, Hong Kong led with 866 tonnes, trailed by South Korea’s 787 tonnes and Japan’s 753 tonnes.
Separately, a Spanish food Web site recently praised Taiwan’s fruit milk — especially papaya milk — as an iconic, time-honored and easy-to-make beverage.
Bubble tea, also known as pearl milk tea or boba tea, originated in Taiwan and has since become a global phenomenon, the Spanish food site Directo al Paladar said.
While bubble tea revitalized Asia’s tea culture with its colorful tapioca pearls and distinctive chewy texture, Directo al Paladar said Taiwan has an even more remarkable beverage: fruit milk, particularly the ever-popular papaya milk.
Fruit milk is a time-honored beverage with a smooth mouthfeel that combines the nation’s abundance of tropical fruits with creamy milk, producing a smooth texture and rich aroma, the Web site said.
The beverage is more flavorful and nutritious than bubble tea, with varieties ranging from papaya and mango to other seasonal fruits, Directo al Paladar said, adding that it is a “match made in heaven.”
Fruit milk, such as papaya milk, is easy to prepare at home, and generations of Taiwanese have grown up with it, the report said.
Today, consumers can find a wide variety of mass-produced papaya milk products, along with recipes for fruit milk in an array of colors and flavors, it said.
For those who are not fans of bubble tea, fruit milk offers an appealing and much easier alternative, it added.
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