The price of pineapples in Taiwan’s Chiayi County would rise as the government steps up promotion of exports and beverages, said Council of Agriculture (COA) Minister Chen Chi-chung. He rejected media reports that prices were collapsing.
The China Times on Sunday reported that pineapple prices in the county had collapsed, with the fruit selling for NT$5, NT$3 and even NT$1 per 600g (€0.14, €0.09 and €0.03 respectively).
Chen yesterday met with Chiayi growers to promote the council’s policy to elevate prices, alongside Chiayi County Commissioner Weng Chang-liang and Legislator Chen Ming-wen, both Democratic Progressive Party members.
Due to warmer weather, the harvest season for pineapples arrived 20 days earlier than previously, while some fruit was not sweet enough to sell at full price, Agriculture and Food Agency official Hsu Hui-fei said.
Pineapples sell for NT$6 to NT$7 per 600 gr in Chiayi, while prices are NT$9 to NT$13 per 600 gr in Pingtung County, Tainan and Kaohsiung, where the weather is hotter, helping to produce sweeter fruit, Hsu said.
The council since last month has been buying lower-quality pineapples to be used in processed products at NT$5 per kilogram, with the rate rising to NT$8 per kilogram two weeks ago, Chen said, adding that the program is to last until May.
Prices will surely improve with lower-quality pineapples being used in processed food rather than being sold at markets, Chen said, adding that he would visit the county again if prices did not improve.
According to information¸ pineapple exports have exceeded 11,000 tonnes so far this year, after there was only 3,000 tonnes exported in the same period last year, he said, adding that full-year exports should reach 40,000 tonnes.
