TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Agriculture and Food Agency has launched export and processing subsidies as Taitung’s pineapple sugar apple harvest enters peak season.

CNA reported Wednesday that the agency is working with e-commerce platforms to expand sales channels and promote Lunar New Year gift boxes and corporate bulk purchases. It is also subsidizing consolidated export shipments and processing costs to encourage diversified products and extend shelf life.

Taitung is the main production area for pineapple sugar apples, with peak output from mid-February to early March, per Economic Daily News. The agency said planting area reached about 2,454 hectares last year, producing 12,761 tonnes, with exports accounting for about 60% of total output.

The agency’s Eastern Region Branch held an event in Taitung to outline three measures to stabilize supply and sales. These include expanding exports, increasing domestic sales channels, and promoting diversified processing, per Yahoo News.

The agency said subsidies cover processing and export shipping, and farmers are encouraged to make fruit puree, fillings, ice products, and noodles from the crop. It added that corporate group purchases and multiple domestic sales channels will help lift overall sales.

“Growers face weaker export demand and falling prices paid to farmers,” Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ying (陳瑩) said. She urged the agriculture ministry to hold weekly meetings to monitor sales volumes and prices to keep farm prices stable.

DPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said the fruit ripens quickly and may flood the market after the Lunar New Year holiday. He called on the agency to monitor prices and activate market adjustment mechanisms if needed to protect farmers’ income.