TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Typhoon-ravaged banana crops have sent prices soaring to NT$108 per kilogram, but Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) predicts relief is coming, with prices expected to stabilize between March and April.
Speaking at a tree-planting ceremony at National United University (國立聯合大學) in Miaoli on Wednesday (March 12), Chen addressed the current banana price surge. The tropical fruit, which requires a 10-month growing cycle, suffered when three typhoons last year devastated 46% of Taiwan's banana harvest.
The first banana shipments from the Kaohsiung-Pingtung region have now reached the market. The ministry has already established affordable produce sections in major retailers including PX Mart (全聯) and Carrefour (家樂福) to provide consumers with high-quality fruits and vegetables at stable prices.
Chen urged public understanding toward banana farmers, whose annual income depends on a single harvest season that was severely compromised by last year's storms. With production currently low and prices high, the Agriculture Minister asked consumers for patience until the situation improves.