Pineapples

Promotions could see an increase in pineapple exports

Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture (COA) is working with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council to develop overseas markets for the country’s fresh produce.

According to a report in Taiwan Today, the organisations recently held two fresh produce exhibitions in Mainland China, with another six scheduled to take place there this month.

In addition similar exhibitions will be held in Malaysia and Singapore before Chinese New Year, which falls this year on 23 January.

COA officials told the news source these promotional activities were expected to generate orders for around 5,800 tonnes of fresh Taiwanese produce such as wax apples, pineapples, persimmons and sugar apples.

In Shanghai many items would be sold in specially prepared gift boxes to capitalise on the Chinese custom of gifting fruit, the COA reported.

The organisation added the export of local agricultural products generated US$3.87bn in the first 10 months of 2011, which was 17.5 per cent more than the same period in the year prior.