Taipei [Taiwan] March 24 : Chinese atemoya growers may match the yield and quality of those in Taiwan within the next two years, posing a risk to producers in Taitung County, according to a report by Taipei Times, as stated by Taitung County Councilor Huang Chih-Wei.
Atemoya, commonly referred to as pineapple custard apples, are a hybrid of cherimoya and sugar apples, recognized by their bumpy, pale green skin. Approximately 90 per cent of atemoya cultivated in Taiwan comes from Taitung County, with the bulk being exported to China, as reported by Taipei Times.
China has adopted Taitung's cultivation techniques in the provinces of Hainan, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guangdong, causing production to now outpace Taiwan's by threefold, with the farming area being twice as large, Huang noted. He indicated that as the quality of Chinese atemoya improves, their yield continues to rise annually.
The report from Taipei Times pointed out that in the coming two years, Chinese competitors might overshadow Taiwanese farmers, prompting Huang to encourage local growers to cease planting the crop and alerting the Taitung County Government to the risks faced by domestic producers.
Taiwanese farmers began their atemoya exports to China a decade ago, with prices reaching over New Taiwan Dollar (NTD) 100 per jin (600g) at their highest. The current cultivation area now exceeds 2,000 hectares, and the fruit has become a crucial element of the local economy, with farmers referring to it as "green gold," as highlighted by Taipei Times.
Imports were halted in September 2021 due to "repeated discovery of agricultural pests" in shipments from Taiwan, but trade resumed in 2023, albeit with a 20 per cent tariff imposed by China last year.
The local government has already recognized the looming threat posed by Chinese atemoya production and is actively working to broaden export opportunities to Southeast Asia to diversify the market, commented Taitung County Agriculture Department Director Hsu Chia-hao, as reported by Taipei Times.
According to Hsu, Taitung still cultivates the highest quality fruits owing to its favourable climate and soil conditions, which would be positioned in China as premium products, as detailed in the Taipei Times report.