Taiwan exported 19.2 tons of onions to Okinawa, Japan, on March 13. The shipment was facilitated by the Agriculture and Food Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and originated from the Hengchun Ta He Vegetable Production Cooperative in Pingtung County. Deputy Minister Hu Chung-i and Cooperative Chairman Hsieh Hsin-hui attended the container sealing.
The Ministry of Agriculture expects Taiwan's onion exports to exceed 600 tons this year, compared with 404 tons exported in the previous year. According to Hu, Taiwan had exported only 3 tons of onions earlier this year, making the Ta He Cooperative shipment a larger single export consignment.
The ministry indicated that future onion shipments may also be directed to markets including South Korea and Malaysia.
Hsieh said growing conditions in the Hengchun area support onion cultivation, citing abundant sunshine and the Luoshan wind as factors that influence production. He also noted that international onion prices have increased compared with last year.
The Agriculture and Food Agency's Southern Branch stated that the Ministry of Agriculture provides subsidies for collection and grading costs as well as marketing incentives aimed at supporting export development.
The Ta He Cooperative operates through a group production area and contract farming system covering about 169 hectares each year. The cooperative supplies onions to the domestic market and also develops export sales.
Taiwan's total onion planting area covers about 1,338 hectares, with an annual production of approximately 76,109 tons. Main production areas include Changhua, Yunlin, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung. The harvest season typically runs from December to April.
Source: TVBS News
