China’s ban on Taiwan pineapples backfires as new buyers step in

Fresh Pineapple

China

Taiwan

Published Aug 7, 2021

Tridge summary

(Aug 6): China’s surprise ban on pineapple imports from Taiwan five months ago was widely viewed as an attempt to undermine President Tsai Ing-wen’s standing with a political constituency. Trade data show the move has produced anything but the desired effect. First-half numbers collected by Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture show growers of the fruit on the island have fared better since China blocked imports starting March 1, as sympathetic Japanese shoppers stepped in to provide support.

Original content

Shipments to Japan surged more than eightfold to 16,556 tons in the four months through June from a year ago. A domestic campaign to drum up demand also helped. The helping hand from Japanese importers has come as a pleasant surprise for Taiwan’s rattled farmers who were bracing for a plunge in prices following the move by China, which termed it as a normal precaution to protect biosecurity. The spiky fruit is among a long list of products from Australian wine to coal and lobster China has targeted for sanctions to help gain leverage in trade disputes. “The bleeding was stopped before it even began,” said Chen Li-i, an official at the Council of Agriculture in Taipei. Japan has now replaced China as the major overseas destination for Taiwan’s pineapples. While it’s unclear how long the ban will last — the shift may well reverse once the restrictions are lifted — the humble tropical fruit has become an unlikely symbol of defiance in the region’s geopolitical intrigues. Amid all the ...

Source: Theedgemarkets