[Politics] Ministry of Agriculture: China's 'Lure, Trap, Kill' Tactic on Sugar Apples; Should Reduce High Dependence Risk
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bellala 央廣＠＠4h ago
The Ministry of Agriculture stated today (20th) that the sugar apple industry is a standard Chinese "lure, trap, kill" process, causing the industry to face great instability. The Ministry of Agriculture will continue to guide the industry towards diversified processing and opening up high-end markets, reducing the risk of high dependence on uncertain markets.
Nantou County Magistrate Rao Qingling recently participated in the Straits Forum via a pre-recorded video to compete for the sugar apple market. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) later stated that because the Straits Forum is a large united front platform organized by the Chinese Communist Party, it requested the competent authority, the Ministry of the Interior, to investigate. MAC Deputy Minister and Spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh also said that Taiwanese people hardly eat sugar apples, and there is almost no domestic market. Most of the output relies on procurement by the Chinese Communist Party, completely at their mercy, which has sparked public discussion on the production and marketing issues of sugar apples.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture reviewed in a press release today that China unilaterally suspended the import of Taiwanese sugar apples from September 20, 2021, citing mealybugs, which did not comply with international norms. In addition to strengthening pest and disease control measures such as mealybugs with local governments, export businesses, and farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture also improved the sugar apple industry chain through strategies such as developing processed products and guiding the expansion of diversified export markets.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Agriculture stated that it continues to use the "Cross-Strait Agricultural Product Quarantine and Inspection Cooperation Agreement" platform to demand scientific and technical dialogue with China to strive for the resumption of trade, but has never received a positive response from China.
The Ministry of Agriculture also said that China unilaterally announced the resumption of sugar apple imports on June 20, 2023, but only for certain regions and without providing complete new quarantine regulations. While seemingly showing some goodwill, China resumed import tariffs of 20% and value-added tax of 9% on sugar apples starting from September 25, 2024, significantly increasing trade costs to China.
The Ministry of Agriculture stated that although it has controlled the export of sugar apple scions and other seedlings through export permits, China has also continued to expand its sugar apple planting area in recent years, putting the domestic sugar apple industry to the test.
The Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that the problem of the sugar apple industry is the standard Chinese "lure, trap, kill" process. First, they released goodwill by purchasing large quantities, encouraging Taiwanese farmers to plant, and then unilaterally restricted exports without warning. Subsequently, they resumed imports for some regions without clear regulations, and then imposed high tariffs without communicating with Taiwan, leaving the industry facing great instability and farmers bearing significant risks.
The Ministry of Agriculture reiterated that the sustainable development of agriculture and stable farmer income are the government's highest principles of governance. Moving forward, it will continue to guide the sugar apple industry towards diversified processing (such as frozen diced fruit, puree, and alcoholic beverages), adjust the industrial structure, and guide businesses to explore emerging high-end markets, reducing the risk of high dependence on markets full of uncertainty. (Editor: Shen Zhen-jiang)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215676
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