Brand name bell fruit produced in Nanjhou Township (南州) will be exported to Germany and France late this month for the first time, industry sources said yesterday.
The fruit, also known as wax apples, is being grown by graduates of a fruit plantation and marketing class sponsored by the Nanjhou Farmers Association in Pingtung.
Led by class leader Tsai Shun-teh (蔡順得), the 17 young entrepreneurs have worked hard to improve their growing techniques over the years and are now searching for overseas markets for their brand name “Honey Fruit.”
They began exporting the product to Canada about 10 years ago and successfully tapped into the Chinese market in 2005.
“Today, ‘Honey Fruit’ is one of the most popular gift items in China and Hong Kong,” Tsai said proudly.
After many years of effort, the “Honey Fruit” passed the EU’s rigorous quality tests and secured export certification three years ago and will be shipped to Germany and France after the Lunar New Year for the first time, Tsai said.
To maintain the quality of their bell fruit, Tsai said they only harvest once a year.
One local trading company has consistently ordered between 60 and 100 tonnes of the fruit for delivery to China and Hong Kong annually, he said.
Because of damage from Typhoon Morakot, which wreaked havoc in southern Taiwan last August, the bell fruit harvest season in Nanjhou started one month later than normal, pushing the export season back.
“Right now, our Honey Fruit is mainly sold in the domestic market. The harvest season is expected to peak after the Lunar New Year holiday, when exports will also shift into high gear,” he said.
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