[Politics] Ministry of Agriculture: China's 'Lure, Trap, Kill' Strategy for Sugar Apples; Reduce High Dependence Risks
bellala 央廣3h ago
The Ministry of Agriculture stated today (20th) that the sugar apple industry is a typical Chinese "lure, trap, kill" process, causing the industry to face immense instability. The Ministry will continue to guide the industry towards diversified processing and opening up high-end markets to reduce the risks of over-reliance on uncertain markets.
Magistrate of Taitung County, Rao Ching-ling, recently participated in the Straits Forum via a pre-recorded video to advocate for the sugar apple market. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) subsequently stated that since the Straits Forum is a large-scale united front platform organized by the CCP, it requested the competent authority, the Ministry of the Interior, to investigate. MAC Deputy Minister and Spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh also mentioned that Taiwanese people hardly eat sugar apples, and there is almost no domestic market. The production largely relies on procurement by the CCP, completely dependent on the CCP's whims, which has sparked public discussion on the production and marketing issues of sugar apples.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture reviewed in a press release today that China, starting from September 20, 2021, unilaterally suspended imports of Taiwanese sugar apples citing mealybugs, which did not comply with international norms. The Ministry, along with local governments, export businesses, and farmers, has strengthened pest and disease control measures for mealybugs and other pests. It has also improved the sugar apple industry chain through strategies such as developing processed products and guiding the expansion into diversified export markets.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Agriculture stated that it continues to use the "Cross-Strait Agricultural Product Quarantine and Inspection Cooperation Agreement" platform to demand scientific and technical dialogue with China to strive for the resumption of trade, but has never received a positive response from China.
The Ministry of Agriculture also mentioned that China unilaterally announced the resumption of sugar apple imports on June 20, 2023, but only for certain regions and without providing complete new quarantine regulations. While seemingly showing some goodwill, China reinstated a 20% import tariff on sugar apples starting September 25, 2024, coupled with a 9% value-added tax, significantly increasing trade costs for exports to China.
The Ministry of Agriculture stated that although it has controlled the export of sugar apple scions and other seedlings through export permits, China has also continued to expand its sugar apple planting area in recent years, posing a significant challenge to the domestic sugar apple industry.
The Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that the problem with the sugar apple industry is the standard Chinese "lure, trap, kill" process: first releasing goodwill of large-scale purchases to encourage Taiwanese farmers to plant, then unilaterally imposing export restrictions without warning, followed by resuming imports from certain regions without clear regulations, and then imposing high tariffs without communication with Taiwan, leaving the industry facing immense instability and farmers bearing significant risks.
The Ministry of Agriculture reiterated that the sustainable development of agriculture and stable farmer income are the government's top policy principles. Moving forward, it will continue to guide the sugar apple industry towards diversified processing (such as frozen diced fruit, puree, and alcoholic beverages), adjust the industrial structure, and guide businesses in developing new high-end markets to reduce the risks of over-reliance on markets full of uncertainty. (Editor: Shen Chen-chiang)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215676
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