Taipei, June 11 (CNA) The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan's top government agency handling cross-Taiwan Strait affairs, on Saturday called for dialogue with China to resolve the issues surrounding the Chinese suspension of Taiwanese grouper imports that will take effect on June 13.
Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung says that reports indicating Taiwan is unwilling to import Lithuanian agriculture products are “untrue.” The repor.
Pineapple exports have so far this year risen more than 12 percent, showing that the industry has cast off reliance on the Chinese market following Beijing’s ban on imports of the fruit from Taiwan last year.
Exports of pineapples totaled 9,805 tonnes in the first three months, up 12.2 percent year-on-year, Council of Agriculture data showed.
This was despite the ban China imposed in March last year on imports of the tropical fruit from Taiwan, citing unspecified pests.
Council Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) spoke alongside Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) at a news conference in the city yesterday touting pineapple exports to Japan.
Ceremoniously
By Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer, with CNAPineapple exports have so far this year risen more than 12 percent, showing that the industry has cast off reliance on the Chinese market following Beijing’s ban on imports of the fruit from Taiwan last year.
The Council of Agriculture (COA) has set up a new division responsible for regulating the pet industry, pet ownership and pet welfare, the council said yesterday.
Council Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) told a news conference in Taipei that about 2.5 million dogs and cats are kept as pets in Taiwan, and that the annual output value of the pet industry had grown to more than NT$500 million (US$17.42 million).
“At the current 10 percent annual growth rate, that means there could be 12 million pet dogs and cats in the country by 2040,” Chen said, adding that pets deserve welfare protection “just