TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Following a Chinese import ban on Taiwanese pineapples, Taitung County has decided to export pineapple custard apples to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) instead, reports said Wednesday (March 17).

China alleged that “harmful creatures” had been found on Taiwanese pineapples, leading to a campaign for “freedom pineapples” finding consumer support in Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.

As the southeastern region of Taitung also exports its local pineapple custard apples to China, it chose to diversify its markets to include other countries such as the UAE, CNA reported.

The first batch of the green-skinned fruit, also known as pineapple sugar apple, atemoya, or cherimoya, left Taitung by shipping container on Wednesday and made its way to the port of Kaohsiung.

The 10-ton shipment of the fruit will spend two weeks on a ship before arriving in Dubai on April 4. Taitung used to export 14,000 tons of pineapple custard apples to China each year, accounting for 95 percent of its exports and bringing in NT$1.2 billion (US$42.39 million), according to agriculture officials.