China's atemoya purchase offer ignites trade debate in Taiwan

Taipei, June 20 (CNA) China's offer to purchase more atemoya has reignited a cross-strait trade debate, with the government warning the move is a tactic to hook local farmers before cutting off market access.

In a Saturday news release, the Ministry of Agriculture cited atemoya -- a specialty of Taitung -- as a prime example of China's "raise, trap, kill" strategy, warning that it leaves local farmers exposed to severe market instability.

According to the ministry, China has repeatedly disrupted Taiwan's atemoya exports by suspending imports in September 2021 over pesticide concerns, partially resuming them in June 2023, and later imposing a 20 percent tariff plus 9 percent value-added tax (VAT) in 2024, leaving Taitung's farmers facing steep uncertainty.

To reduce reliance on unpredictable markets like China, the ministry pledged to help the industry diversify into processed goods -- like frozen cubes, purées, and alcoholic beverages -- and expand into premium emerging markets.

China's promise

The statement followed heated debates among politicians after the Straits Forum was held in China's Fujian Province on June 13, where Beijing pledged to expand purchases of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products, such as atemoya, pomelo, tea, and grouper.

Despite a central government ban on official participation, Taitung County Magistrate Yao Ching‑ling (饒慶鈴) promoted local produce in a prerecorded video, while five Taiwanese groups signed procurement agreements on agricultural products with Chinese officials.

Liang Wen‑chieh (梁文傑), a spokesperson for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), sparked further controversy Thursday when he remarked that "atemoya is a crop almost never eaten in Taiwan and entirely dependent on Beijing's goodwill" and warned that officials who took part in the Straits Forum could face investigation.

Remarks on domestic popularity

Earlier Saturday, Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Huang Chien‑pin (黃建賓) led local representatives and farmers at a news conference, accusing the central government of politicizing the atemoya trade instead of helping resolve distribution challenges.

According to Wu Hsiu‑hua (吳秀華), speaker of the Taitung County Council, China remains the primary destination for Taiwanese atemoya, accounting for 95 percent of exports because strict quarantine barriers in other countries have yet to be overcome.

"The government's responsibility is to help farmers find distribution channels, not to force them to bear political consequences," Wu said at the event.

Separately, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan‑an (蔣萬安) criticized the MAC for intending to investigate Yao, arguing Yao only sought markets for farmers.

Chiang said atemoya is like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) in the fruit world, because no other country can produce such a unique and delicious variety.

He rejected Liang's claim that people in Taiwan don't eat atemoya and warned against politicizing agriculture at the expense of farmers' livelihoods.

Separately, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ying (陳瑩) defended Liang, saying Liang meant to highlight the risks of over‑reliance on a single market, though she admitted his remarks left farmers feeling saddened and wronged.

Chen noted that the real challenge in exporting to China lies in tariffs.

As China expands planting and improves cultivation, its atemoya grows more stable in quality and yield, while Taiwanese farmers, burdened by high tariffs, face intensifying competitive pressure that threatens their sustainability and market share, she said.