CHINA's ban on pineapple imports from Taiwan was viewed as an attempt to undermine President Tsai Ing-wen's standing with a political constituency, but sympathetic Japanese shoppers have stepped in to provide support, reports the American Journal of Transportation.
First-half numbers show growers of the fruit on the island have fared better since China blocked imports March 1.
Shipments to Japan surged eightfold to 16,556 tons in the four months through June from a year ago.
The aid from Japanese importers has come as a surprise for Taiwan's farmers who were bracing for a plunge in prices following the move by China.
Domestic prices of the fruit jumped 28 per cent to US$0.80 per kilogram in the March to June period, a three-year high. Total value of the pineapples sold locally rose 17 per cent.
"The bleeding was stopped before it even began," said Council of Agriculture in Taipei official Chen Li-i.
Pineapples are an important source of income for farmers in central and southern Taiwan. 11 per cent of the tropical fruit harvested in Taiwan are sold overseas and until the ban, they were almost entirely shipped to China.
Said Harvest Consultancy CEO Chiao Chun: "Export orders are looking unexpectedly good. This really was a crisis turned into an opportunity."
Besides the help from Japan, a save the farmers campaign on social media rallied local shoppers in support of growers.
Local businesses also greatly helped farmers, with restaurants rushing in a pineapple-infused sweet twist to many dishes including shrimp balls, fried rice, and beef noodle soup.
{非本站网址}
Email | Print