Taiwanese guava farmer hopes to crack U.S. market
Fruit dealer Chen Yin-Kuei said, during a recent media interview, that the export value of Taiwan grown guavas to Canada is NT$150 million a year, and the market with that part of the world has been a successful story. However, he said the expansion into other markets has been fraught with difficulties and delays.
Chen said, “The mainland China and Southeast Asian markets have been filled with the same kind of fruit, so I think that the U.S. is an important market. If we can crack it open, I estimate that planting all the country’s farms with guava won’t be enough.”
The Council of Agriculture Deputy Minister Chen Chi-chung said, “Taiwan applied for entry of guavas into the U.S. in 2009, and since then there has been no progress.”
Currently guava is listed in the items of priority fruits the Taiwanese government is trying to get entry into the U.S.
National Taiwan University professor of Agricultural Economics Wu Jung-chieh said, “Taiwan has long ignored international markets with regard to agricultural produce. To become internationally competitive, the value of our agricultural produce, instead of the price, must be emphasized.”
Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co director Yang Ju-men said, “There are a great number of small farmers in Taiwan and how to bring them under the same standards and put them together in order to sell their produce to foreign countries will be a big issue.”
Source: www.taiwannews.com.tw
