Taiwan: Farmers clinch NT$2.37bn of export orders in Japan

2019.03.15

A national delegation of farmers has secured more than NT$2.37 billion (US$76.69 million) of orders at Foodex Japan, Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) said at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.

Chen has been involved in a spat with Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) about promoting exports since a disagreement in 2017, when the council asked Han to resign from his post as general manager at Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co (台北農產運銷公司).

The two have also bickered about agricultural issues since Han became mayor on Dec. 25 last year.

The council on Tuesday led a delegation of more than 140 to Foodex Japan, which ended yesterday, and 22 groups exhibiting at the council’s pavilion secured NT$2.37 billion of orders as of Thursday, Chen said.

That figure would be higher if the orders secured by other Taiwanese exhibitors outside the pavilion are added, he added.

Asked by reporters if the council has become more proactive since the dispute with Han, Chen said the achievement was the result of the joint efforts of Taiwanese businesses and government agencies, and that the council is more concerned about farmers making money than taking credit for the achievement.

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