Taiwan banana exports are expected to exceed 10,000 metric tons this year, says the head of the Agriculture and Food Agency with confidence
Taiwan banana exports are expected to exceed 10,000 metric tons this year! Hu Chung-yi, Director-General of the Agriculture and Food Agency, attended the "Export Banana Joint Cooperation Signing Ceremony" on the 10th. At the meeting, he said that in addition to the banana export contract signed on the 10th, which will see 500 tons exported to Japan this year, at the March Tokyo Food Show, the Qishan Fruit and Vegetable Cooperative and Taiwan International Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. also signed banana export orders with Japanese businesses for 2,000 tons and 1,000 tons respectively this year, and he is confident of breaking the 10,000 metric ton banana export target this year.
According to statistics from the Council of Agriculture, banana exports reached 1,585 metric tons in ROC year 105, 1,110 metric tons in ROC year 106, and 1,872 metric tons in ROC year 107. As of May 9 this year, they had reached 1,360 metric tons, with Japan being the main export destination in all cases. However, compared with past years when exports once exceeded 400,000 tons a year, banana exports have clearly declined.
Hu Chung-yi, Director-General of the Agriculture and Food Agency, said that in order to assist banana exports, the agency integrated banana producers from various regions last year to form the Banana Industry Strategic Alliance, and this year further formed a banana export platform, hoping thereby to push banana exports past 10,000 metric tons this year. Hu Chung-yi said that the banana export order signed with Japan's Arai Shoji Co., Ltd. on the 10th is expected to export one container, about 6 metric tons, per week, increasing to 18 tons per week during peak banana season, with an estimated 500 metric tons exported by the end of the year, reaching 1,500 metric tons in ROC year 109 and 3,000 metric tons in ROC year 110.
Chen Li-yi, Chief of the Fruit Tree Industry Section of the Crop Production Group of the Agriculture and Food Agency, explained that due to factors such as price, the largest banana importer in the Japanese market is currently the Philippines. Although Taiwan bananas are more expensive than Philippine bananas, because Taiwan bananas have a longer growing period than Philippine bananas, they are softer and chewier with a richer aroma, and are quite popular with high-end Japanese consumers. Therefore, Taiwan banana channels all go through high-end outlets such as department stores.
"Taiwan bananas have high name recognition in Japan," said Ryozo Arai, President of Japan's Arai Shoji Co., Ltd., noting that elderly people in particular miss the taste of Taiwan bananas, which is why he wanted to cooperate with Taiwanese businesses to let Japanese people once again savor the taste of Taiwan bananas. As for where Taiwan bananas have the advantage over Philippine bananas? Ryozo Arai pointed out that many Japanese people buy Philippine bananas because of price, but older people are less concerned about price and instead hope to eat delicious bananas, so Taiwan bananas still have a certain market.
According to statistics from the Council of Agriculture, Pingtung's banana planting area reached 4,323 hectares in ROC year 106, making it the largest production area in our country. Pingtung County Magistrate Pan Meng-an said that banana exports once created an economic boom for Taiwan, but as the international trade situation changed, Philippine bananas replaced Taiwan's position. Now, through the joint efforts of the government and farmers to overcome difficulties such as quarantine and cold chain logistics, a return to the Japanese banana market is just around the corner.
