Tainan exports 5 tons of Taiwan tilapia to Singapore

Tainan, July 2 (CNA) A shipment of five tons of Taiwan tilapia was sent from Tainan to Singapore on Wednesday, following an order valued at NT$600,000 (US$20,500) placed with a company in the city.

The products, including frozen whole fish and pre-cooked fish belly, were dispatched from Jiangjun Fishing Harbor, where a new aquatic processing and logistics center is under construction.

At the launch, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) called the move a "breakthrough," marking Taiwan's expansion into the Singaporean tilapia market.

Taiwan's tilapia exports have traditionally focused on the United States, Canada, and the Middle East, Huang said, adding that the new foothold in Singapore boosts confidence in Taiwan's export potential particularly with uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs.

According to Tainan agricultural officials, the city produces around 25,000 metric tons of tilapia annually, mostly from districts such as Xuejia, Madou, Xiaying, Lioujia, and Guantian.

The Jiangjun processing and logistics center is set to be a key hub for product processing and price stabilization, Huang said.

Phase one was partially completed last year, and phase two is scheduled to finish by August, with full operations starting at the end of October, officials said, adding that the facility will process over 1,000 metric tons of products annually once completed.