By Chen Yan-ting and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerSales of bananas from Pingtung County to Japan are expected to double by the end of this year, Agriculture and Food Agency Director-General Hu Jong-i (胡忠一) said on Tuesday. Exports of bananas to Japan have reached 2,715 tonnes this year, a 62.5 percent increase from 1,670 tonnes in the same period last year, Hu said, adding that the number is still growing. Due to rising labor and production costs, the market share of Taiwanese bananas in Japan was shrinking, but the promotion efforts of Taiwanese officials — who visited Japan on Nov. 1 — have paid off, as their market share has increased, he said. Meanwhile, Kasumi, the largest supermarket chain in Kasama, also introduced Taiwanese bananas, which have quickly become a favorite of Japanese customers, he said. Representative Taiwan Office of Kasama City Director-General Chika Kinoshita said that Taiwanese bananas have an appealing aroma and a pleasantly soft texture, with which bananas from Southeast Asia or Ecuador cannot compare.
