TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan exported 19.2 metric tons of onions to Okinawa (沖繩), Japan, on Friday (March 13), in a shipment the Agriculture and Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture (農業部農糧署), facilitated from the Hengchun Ta He Vegetable Production Cooperative (恆春大和蔬果生產合作社) in Pingtung County (屏東縣), a southern Taiwan agricultural region. Deputy Minister Hu Chung-i (胡忠一) and Cooperative Chairman Hsieh Hsin-hui (謝信惠) witnessed the container sealing.
The Ministry of Agriculture projects Taiwan's onion exports will surpass 600 metric tons this year, up significantly from last year's total of 404 metric tons. Hu said Taiwan's onion exports had only reached 3 metric tons this year before Friday, but the Ta He Cooperative's latest shipment alone totals 19.2 metric tons. The ministry plans future exports to destinations including South Korea and Malaysia.
Hsieh credited the favorable climate in the Hengchun area, where abundant sunshine and the Luoshan wind create ideal conditions for growing sweet and storable onions. He noted that international prices have improved compared to last year. The Agriculture and Food Agency's Southern Branch said the Ministry of Agriculture provides subsidies for collection and grading costs plus overseas marketing incentives to boost industry competitiveness.
The Ta He Cooperative uses a group production area and contract farming model, covering 169 hectares annually to ensure onion quality and safety. The cooperative supplies the domestic market while actively targeting international sales. Taiwan's onion planting area spans approximately 1,338 hectares, with an annual yield of about 76,109 metric tons. Major production regions include Changhua, Yunlin, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung, with the harvest season running from December to April. ◼