According to an official at the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan increased custard apple exports last year, with the export value of custard apples from Taitung, a major producer of the fruit crop, reaching nearly NT$900 million (US$27.57 million).
Tsai Shu-jen (蔡恕仁), an associate researcher at the Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, said exports of the fruit from the eastern county totaled NT$890 million in 2015, an increase of nearly 30 percent from NT$690 million the previous year.
China was the main export market for Taitung's custard apples last year, absorbing 90 percent, while Hong Kong and Singapore accounted for the other 10 percent, Tsai said.
He said the county was able to produce good quality custard apples because of its clean air, unpolluted land and safe practices for pesticide use.
The percentage of custard apples in Taitung meeting pesticide residue safety standards has been increasing steadily since 2012 and reached 100 percent in January this year, Tsai said.
