Staff writer, with CNATaiwan aims to begin exporting pineapples to Australia by May, the Council of Agriculture said yesterday, after it announced a day earlier that Australia was now allowing such imports. Three pineapple farms in Pingtung County have registered to ship their fruit to Australia, the council said, adding that it has been in contact with Australian distributors. Discussions between the two nations on the issue started in 2015, when Taiwan applied for permission to export the fruit to Australia, the council said. Taiwan produces 430,000 tonnes of pineapples each year and it last year exported 50,000 tonnes worth about US$60 million. This year, about 4,954 tonnes of the fruit have been exported, with 4,693 tonnes shipped to China, 105 tonnes to Japan and 95 tonnes to Singapore, the council said.
