Boosting the global sales of Taiwan agricultural products while diversifying the country’s export markets and safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers is a top policy priority going forward, according to the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture March 2.
 
Maximum effort will be devoted to cultivating new, potential-laden opportunities abroad for Taiwan’s high-quality, internationally certified products, the COA said. This includes developing e-commerce platforms, integrating public and private resources, providing advice on branding and packaging, and staging business matchmaking activities, the council added.
 
Related undertakings to date are paying handsome dividends, the COA said, citing product exports to New Southbound Policy target countries of NT$1.43 billion (US$50 million) in 2019, up from NT$1.24 billion in 2016. A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
 
According to the COA, this growth reflects the success of measures reducing the risk of overreliance on a single market. Some of standouts are assisting agricultural associations participate in local and overseas exhibitions, as well as setting up Taiwan products sections in supermarkets serving NSP target countries.
 
In addition, the COA said it is working with more and more local farmers in securing halal certification for products catering to Muslim consumers throughout the NSP region and farther afield.
 
The latest COA statistics reveal that fruit exports to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. rose 68 percent, 37 percent, 75 percent and 210 percent respectively in 2020. The best performers during this period by item were pineapples, 164 percent; pomelos, 147 percent; and wax apples, 77 percent. (YCH-E)
 
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw