USDA report shows Taiwan increasing domestic peach production while cherry imports reach ten-year high, driven by Lunar New Year gift-giving traditions
Peach production in Taiwan is expected to reach 17,000 tonnes in 2025, according to a new report published by the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service – a number that includes an increased proportion of low-chill varieties.
The report also indicated that higher domestic production and an increased volume of nectarine imports during the winter meant that total consumption for the year was now forecast to reach 31,500 tonnes.
Taiwan produces peaches, but not nectarines or cherries. For those two products, it relies entirely on imports, with cherries supplied mostly from Chile in the winter months and from the US in summer.
“Winter demand [for cherries], driven by Lunar New Year gift-giving traditions, pushed marketing year 2024/25 imports to a ten-year high of 15,568 tonnes,” the report revealed.
This year, stable and high-quality production in the US is predicted to boost cherry consumption further during the summer.
“Although the 2026 Lunar New Year will coincide with the end of Chile’s cherry season, overall 2025/26 cherry consumption is still anticipated to reach 16,500 tonnes,” it added.
