Export of Taiwanese pomelos to Japan thriving after Beijing bans imports

2022-08-25

The pomelo season is fast approaching. Since Beijing banned the import of the Taiwanese fruit, the Agriculture and Food Agency has developed new markets. Exports to Japan, Hong Kong and Canada are booming. In Japan especially, the sweet and mild green fruit has found great favor. In some towns, there are even plans to distribute Taiwan pomelos in school lunches.

Cut open a pomelo’s skin and its translucent, crystalline flesh is revealed. As harvest approaches, the 10 big pomelo producing regions of Taiwan are about to be inundated with 70,000 tons of the green fruit. The Agriculture and Food Agency hopes their appeal among Taiwanese families will extend beyond the traditional pomelo extravaganza of Mid-Autumn Festival.

Hu Chung-yi
Agriculture and Food Agency
Our pomelos are fall pomelos. We urge Taiwanese people to see pomelos as an extremely healthy fruit. They contain vitamins C, A, B and E as well as lots of fiber.

And the government is working hard on exports too. Since the Chinese ban, the agency has been diversifying its markets. This year, Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore and Japan are the main targets. The distinctive quality of Taiwan pomelos has drawn praise from Japanese diplomats. One recently placed an order for 66 tons to be given as a healthy lunch to local elementary and middle school students as well as kindergarteners.

Chika Kinoshita
Taiwan Representative Office, Kasama City
I ate my first Taiwanese pomelo in 2020. I saw how green it was and thought it would be sour like a lemon. I didn’t know how to cut it open either. I didn’t realize how fragrant and sweet it would be. It was such a surprise! Now I know its qualities and I know how to eat it.

At this trade press conference, the leaders of Japan’s Kasama City and Oorai Town both sang the praises of Taiwanese fruit. Future generations of children in Japan might just have a summer pomelo as their first taste of Taiwan.

無畏中國禁銷! 農糧署:台灣文旦銷往加.日.星

2022-08-25

文旦產季來臨，今年農糧署再與日本合作，要讓21所日本學校孩童，在營養午餐吃到汁多味美的台灣文旦，目前訂單已達66公噸，比去年還要多！而談到中國禁止輸入文旦，農糧署長胡忠一指出，將鎖定香港、加拿大、新加坡和日本等多元市場，認為對產銷的影響並不大。

切開外皮、對半剝開，晶瑩剔透的果肉，看起來汁多鮮美。文旦產季到來，如何行銷10大產區近7萬公噸的產量至關重要，農糧署鼓勵民眾，除了中秋節應應景，整個秋季也不妨多多品嚐。

[[農糧署長胡忠一]]
“我們的文旦是秋季的文旦，呼籲國人一定要把文旦當成是非常健康(的水果) ，因為它富含維他命C、A、B、E跟膳食纖維”

除了力拚內銷，還要輸出海外。面對中國禁止文旦進口，農糧署為了分散市場，今年將以香港、加拿大、新加坡和日本等國為出口主力。而文旦美味獨特的味道，也讓日本代表直呼好意外，已經下訂66公噸，要提供給中小學和幼稚園孩童，作為營養午餐。

[[日本笠間台灣辦事處長木下知香]]
“2020年第一次吃到台灣文旦時，看到那麼綠，以為跟檸檬一樣酸，也不知道怎麼切，想不到非常香，非常甜，很意外，現在知道它的特色，也知道吃法”

在台日外銷記者會上，日本笠間市和大洗町首長，透過影片分享對台灣水果的肯定，相信一顆顆美味的文旦，將激發孩子對台灣的想像。