Taiwan, U.K. sign MOU on organic agriculture trade

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) Taiwan and the United Kingdom on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on organic agriculture cooperation, allowing the export of related products between both sides.

Attending the signing ceremony at the British Office Taipei, Taiwan's Deputy Agriculture Minister Hu Jong-i (胡忠一) said the MOU between his ministry and the U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs was groundbreaking for Taiwan's agriculture sector.

Under the MOU, the two countries will recognize each other's organic food and processed products, a prerequisite for Taiwan to allow such imports as regulated by the Organic Agriculture Promotion Act.

Prior to Wednesday's MOU, Taiwan had only sealed similar treaties with Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, India and Paraguay, said Hu.

According to Hu, the U.K. has 480,000 hectares of organic farmland and has been eager to export its products to Taiwan since Brexit.

Among the products targeted by the U.K. are coffee, beverages and processed food products, he said.

On the other hand, he said, the European market in general is interested in Taiwan's organic tea, rice flour, cookies made from mixed grains, processed fruit juice, organic rice, and gluten-free grains.

Taiwan and the U.K. will continue to finalize details as the MOU is implemented, he said.