Locally grown pineapples are approved for export to New Zealand after the signing of a bilateral agreement April 9 at the 10th meeting of the ANZTEC SPS joint management committee. (Staff photo/Meg Chang)
 

Taiwan-grown pineapples have been approved for export to New Zealand, spotlighting government efforts to tap into new markets, the Ministry of Agriculture said April 9.

The decision was made following a bilateral agreement signed at the 10th meeting of the sanitary and phytosanitary joint management committee of the Agreement Between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC).

According to the MOA, only pineapples harvested during the mature green stage of fruit ripening with their crown buds removed can enter New Zealand. Local farmers should receive annual training during export season and provide complete production records for review, the ministry said, adding that a total of 600 fruits will be selected for examination to ensure no harmful contaminants are present.

The ministry said exporting to New Zealand will further expand the reach of locally cultivated pineapples, which are already sold in countries and territories including Australia, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

Several other agricultural products such as lychees, mangoes and cut oncidium orchid flowers have also received New Zealand import licenses in recent years, the MOA said, adding that the ministry is dedicated to helping farmers boost sales and strengthen cooperation with overseas distributors by providing incentives and hosting agricultural goods festivals.

Following the success, the government will continue to discuss reasonable quarantine conditions for Taiwan’s agricultural products based on scientific evidence with other trading partners to further expand the country’s export markets, the MOA said. (YCH-E)