China recently banned importing a number of Taiwanese agricultural products. The restriction is the result of souring tensions between China and Taiwan. In response, Taiwan’s agriculture council has stepped up to help bolster sales of one of the targeted products: pomelos.
Pomelos are a large citrus fruit produced in Taiwan. They’re in season now, but sales are facing a big hurdle. That’s because China, one of Taiwan’s biggest export markets, banned imports. But Taiwan’s agriculture council is turning farmers’ woes into opportunities.
At an agriculture research station in Hualien County, machines work away at the fruit and turn them into various products, like popcorn and detergents.
Local agriculture official Huang Sheng-huang says that the facility can process four tons of pomelos a day. He says the machines are not only more efficient, but also more sanitary.
One farmer says that the machines are a big help since, traditionally, workers have to process the products by hand.
To help ease the pressure on farmers, the facility has committed to buying 400 tons of pomelo. Using the fruit, it will develop new items and help bolster pomelo sales.
Import bans aren’t usually the mother of innovation, but here in Hualien, that certainly seems to be the case for this popular citrus fruit.