Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung says China’s ban on Taiwan grouper imports has created a great economic opportunity. Taiwan sold five metric tons of frozen grouper to the United States on Tuesday.
Before China instated the ban in June, Taiwan mainly sold live grouper to China and Hong Kong. Taiwan has promoted domestic grouper sales and partnered with Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants in the US to compensate for the loss.
Minister Chen says the US has bought grouper from Taiwan in the past, but this year’s orders are expected to be much larger than last year’s. Exporting frozen grouper to the US is also a more cost-effective solution than shipping live fish.
Chen says Taiwan cannot fully rely on China’s unpredictable market and will instead promote further trade with countries like the US, Japan, and New Zealand. The minister adds that these global partners and the rise in domestic grouper sales have ensured that Taiwan’s grouper prices remain stable.
Chen says that Taiwan is already almost halfway to meeting the agriculture council’s plan for annual grouper sales after China’s ban. At this rate, Chen says Taiwan’s sales this year will be several times higher than expected.