May 14, 2007

Taiwan hopes to boost agricultural exports 

Taiwan is aiming to boost agricultural exports by 20 percent in 3 years, according to its Council of Agriculture (COA).

COA Chairman Su Jia-chyuan said Taiwan's agricultural exports in 1996 hit US$5.48 billion, but fell the next year due to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that killed huge numbers of its pig herds. Taiwan's entry into the WTO in 2002, and the reduction of tuna-fishing vessels also served to reduce its agricultural exports.

In 2004, an effort was made to promote Taiwan's agriculture produce exports, boosting export values to US$3.55 billion. The figure rose to US$3.58 billion in 2005 but dropped to US$3.29 billion in 2006.

Besides fruits and flowers, Taiwan also exports tilapia to the EU and poultry to Japan.

Su said Taiwan's agricultural development is limited due to the lack of agricultural  

land. The competition posed by imports entering Taiwan after its entry into the WTO also served to limit growth in the agricultural sector.