Sunday, May 22, 2011

Taiwan to increase garlic exports to cut domestic oversupply

Taipei, May 21 (CNA) Taiwan's Agriculture and Food Agency said Saturday it will sell more garlic overseas in an attempt to lower domestic supply and stabilize prices.
Hsu Han-ching, deputy director of the agency, said as garlic farmers are currently suffering from a production glut, the agency will try to increase exports, adjust the local garlic supply, and help local garlic growers alleviate the financial impact.
According to Hsu, the output for every hectare of farmland used to grow garlic is expected to hit 11,702 kilograms this year, up almost 40 percent from the level recorded a year earlier.
As local garlic is very competitive in terms of quality and pricing in the global markets, the agency has successfully auctioned off 5,851 metric tons of garlic so far this year, Hsu said.
More than 4,000 metric tons will be put up for sale to foreign buyers in upcoming auctions.
Due to high inventories in the local market, Hsu said, the agency will meet with garlic farmers and representatives from the Yunlin County government’s agriculture division next week to figure out how to sell more of the products overseas.
Yunlin County is a major garlic growing region in Taiwan.
Hsu said the agency will also come up with campaigns to encourage more garlic consumption in the domestic market.