China’s grouper ban creates great opportunity, says Agriculture Minister of Taiwan

Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung of Taiwan has identified China's ban on Taiwan grouper imports as a significant economic opportunity, leading to increased sales to the United States. Before the ban, Taiwan had primarily exported live grouper to China and Hong Kong. In response to the ban, Taiwan has launched marketing campaigns to boost domestic sales and has formed partnerships with Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants in the US. The US has already purchased five metric tons of frozen grouper from Taiwan, a transaction expected to become more common this year due to its cost-effectiveness. Chen emphasizes Taiwan's strategy of diversifying its trade partners, including the US, Japan, and New Zealand, to mitigate reliance on China's unpredictable market. This diversification, coupled with stable domestic grouper prices and a strong sales performance, is putting Taiwan on a pace to surpass its annual grouper sales targets set after the ban.