A first-of-its-kind trade show in Kaohsiung aims to bring together international buyers and purveyors of fresh fruits, vegetables and agricultural technologies.
Organizers expect about 5,000 buyers to walk through the gates of the first annual Taiwan International Fruit and Vegetable Show (台灣國際蔬果展), which opens on Nov. 10. About 150 vendors from Taiwan, the United States, Japan, New Zealand and other countries will set up 300 booths to sell everything from apples to edible flowers.
The international market for agricultural products expands year by year, according to My Exhibition (貿有展覽), a co-organizer.
The global market for fresh fruits is forecast to gain by 8.7 percent annually to reach US$692.9 billion in 2017, led by growth in the Asia-Pacific region.
Taiwan's Agriculture Sector
My Exhibition said that the Kaohsiung fair will include leading products in Taiwan's agriculture sector. Agricultural output in Taiwan was valued at US$7.95 billion in 2013, with vegetables, fruits, grains and mushrooms accounting for about 88 percent.
The trade exhibition will also offer products like pesticides, fertilizers and plant factories, as well as systems for packaging, distribution, logistics and e-commerce, organizers said.
Taiwan has a thriving agriculture sector that has seen a 14.8-percent compound annual growth in output value between 2009 and 2013, according to data provided by My Exhibition.
