TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Carrefour Taiwan announced Monday it will purchase approximately 30 tonnes of atemoyas from Taitung in March. 

The Taitung County Government held a press conference to promote Taitung’s atemoyas on Monday at Taipei 101. Taitung County Magistrate Jao Ching-ling (饒慶鈴), Agriculture and Food Agency Deputy Director-General Yao Chih-wang (姚志旺), Taipei 101 Chair Janet Chia (賈永婕), Uni-President Corporation Spokesperson Tu Chung-cheng (涂中正), and Carrefour Taiwan also attended the event. 

Carrefour has already purchased 10 tonnes of Taitung atemoyas and is offering discounts and promotions at all its stores until Jan. 16, per CNA.

According to the Taitung County Agriculture Department, the first 101 customers daily who purchase two Taipei 101 Observatory tickets will receive one free atemoya until Jan. 5. The observatory is a popular tourist destination, and this event aims to promote the fruit to foreign visitors, the department said. 

Magistrate Jao said that China halted imports of Taitung atemoyas in 2021 after claiming they had pest issues. She said while exports to China resumed in 2023, China imposed a 20% import tariff on the fruit in November, significantly impacting Taiwanese farmers.

Jao said December is the peak season for atemoyas. Despite challenges from typhoons and increased import tariffs, the county government will continue to expand domestic sales channels, per the Taitung County Government’s news release.

Deputy Director-General Yao said Taitung accounts for 90% of the nation's atemoya production. He added that the agency will continue promoting the fruit domestically and internationally.