TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China’s ban on pineapples from Taiwan has stirred up a wave of overseas support for the country’s agricultural products, the latest being Singapore's interest in a pastry from southern Taiwan.
Supermarkets in the city-state have placed an order of 2,400 boxes of longan pineapple cakes from Kaohsiung, according to the southern port city's Agriculture Bureau.
The dessert's filling is a mixture of longan and pineapple and is made from a recipe developed with the assistance of the agricultural authorities. Possessing a unique sweet-and-sour flavor, it claimed the Superior Taste Award from the International Taste Institute this year for its high gustatory quality.
The Neimen District Farmers’ Association in Kaohsiung believes the reason the cakes have been so well-received is the prime quality fruits used to make them. This is the first time the confectionery is available in Singaporean stores, which will also import 15,000 kilograms of fresh pineapples from Kaohsiung by the end of the month.
China arbitrarily slapped the import restrictions on Taiwan’s pineapples on March 1, citing pest concerns. While the government has sought to solve the issue via negotiation mechanism, it has also mounted a marketing campaign to make up for the lost sales in China, which typically account for 10 percent of the pineapples Taiwan exports annually.
Japan has moved fast to show support for Taiwanese farmers, having ordered over 5,000 metric tons of the fruit as of March 3. The craze has seen Taiwan’s pineapples fly off the shelves at many retailers in the neighboring country, reported CNA.
Longan pineapple cakes (Kaohsiung City photo)
Pineapples from Taiwan (Kaohsiung City photo)