China has banned imports of Taiwan-grown pineapples; in response, Taiwanese businesses and citizens made up for the potential shortfall by buying an entire year’s worth of the tropical fruit in just four days.
On Friday (Feb. 26), China announced it would ban all imports of Taiwanese pineapples, alleging that “harmful organisms” had been found. Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture (COA) Minister Chen Chi-chung chastised China for its “unilateral decision,” which he deemed “unacceptable.”
According to the COA, 97 percent of pineapple exports went to China in 2020. Last year, Taiwan exported 41,661 metric tons of the fruit to China, worth approximately NT$1.5 billion (US$53.9 million).