Taiwan Mangoes Reach Shelves Abroad Amid Excellent Season
Mango season is underway in Taiwan, and amid an abundant season, the fruits are beginning to hit store shelves abroad. Exports have dropped sharply since China banned Taiwan mangoes in 2023, but the government is working to bring the numbers back up with new markets.
Taiwan Mango Season Brings Bumper Crop and Export Challenges
REPORTER:
Mangoes—the luscious taste of the Taiwanese summer—are back in season, and what a fine season it’s turning out to be. Production is already up 30% from last year, when typhoon damage ruined the harvest. The agriculture ministry says this bumper crop is bringing prices down.
REPORTER:
This year is more affordable.
REPORTER:
Only about 40-50% of the price last year with the typhoons.
REPORTER:
And there’s a chance of more to come if the weather stays good. Taiwan’s mango season lasts until the end of August.
REPORTER:
For some mango farmers, though, the situation is still not quite ideal. Since the summer of 2023, China has banned the import of Taiwan mangoes, citing pests. Taiwan views the move as political. Whatever the case, exports have dropped from a peak of around 9,000 tons each year.
REPORTER:
Some farmers think one solution might be to focus on more than one variety of mango, the famous Irwin.
REPORTER:
All kinds of [our] agricultural products are excellent.
REPORTER:
It can’t just be Irwin mangoes.
REPORTER:
We can promote other varieties, too.
REPORTER:
But the government has ideas too. On the shelves of Paris supermarkets, boxes of mangoes marked “Produit de Taiwan”—Product of Taiwan—have started appearing. They offer a bit of cool refreshment amidst a major heat wave.
REPORTER:
The French market has its challenges—this export batch is relatively small. The government has had to help subsidize the cost of air freight. And even then, with a single mango costing around €28, or US$31—it’s not quite a budget-conscious option. Still, Taiwan’s farmers are proud to see how far their mangoes have made it.
REPORTER:
To get to Paris we have to use air freight
REPORTER:
and the cost isn’t something we farmers can bear.
REPORTER:
Our government wants to subsidize the shipments to France.
REPORTER:
It's a well-intended gesture.
REPORTER:
Perhaps an even brighter spot is South Korea. Seoul has agreed to cut tariffs on Taiwan mangoes from 30% down to 5% until the middle of August. The government hopes its work to get results like this will see Taiwan export up to 3,000 tons of mangoes this year. It’s a third of what exports looked like before the Chinese ban, but still a juicy jump from last year.
