Taiwanese Banana Brand, Pork Products Enter Singapore Market, Minister Joseph Wu: Injecting New Vitality

(CNA, Singapore, July 1st) The "Taiwan Summer Food Festival and Taiwan Banana Brand & TFC Sausage Launch Event" was held in Singapore. Joseph Wu, Representative to Singapore, stated today that although bananas and sausages are common products, they embody the dedication and pride of Taiwan's agriculture. He anticipates that high-quality Taiwanese agricultural and livestock products will inject new vitality into the Singaporean and broader Southeast Asian markets.

Wu mentioned that Singaporeans are familiar with Taiwanese bananas. However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and高雄市 (Kaohsiung City) have introduced a brand-new Taiwanese banana brand, "Bananova," which is the first banana brand to have its trademark registered in Singapore and marks a significant step for the Taiwanese banana industry towards internationalization.

Furthermore, in late May last year, Taiwan was certified as "Classical Swine Fever-Free" by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), becoming the only country in Asia to simultaneously hold the status of "Classical Swine Fever, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and African Swine Fever-Free." However, in October of the same year, the first case of African Swine Fever was detected in Taiwan. Related epidemic events were officially reported to WOAH and concluded in January this year according to procedures.

Wu told CNA that the Singaporean market is no stranger to Taiwanese pork. The resumption of imports signifies another upgrade in food safety and trade mutual trust between the two sides.

The Taiwan Pork Promotion Event and Press Conference was held in Singapore today. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, and industry professionals attended.

According to relevant news materials provided by the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, the event combined gourmet tasting, cooking demonstrations, interactive food and agriculture activities, and Taiwanese night market culture, inviting Singaporean citizens to experience the world-class safety and deliciousness of Taiwanese pork.

Alex Liu, Deputy Representative to Singapore, stated that whether for consumers in Singapore or Taiwan, safety is one of the most important considerations when choosing food, especially meat products. Taiwan has a comprehensive agricultural production system and strict food safety standards. This year, through the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and agricultural departments of various county and city governments, Taiwan has once again been internationally recognized as a country with "zero cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, African Swine Fever, and Classical Swine Fever," demonstrating Taiwan's high resilience and professional capabilities in animal epidemic prevention. This signifies that the safety standards of Taiwanese pork can withstand the strictest international market scrutiny. Singapore is a very important trading partner for Taiwan, a significant market for Taiwanese agricultural products, and a gateway to Southeast Asia.

Concurrently, the Taiwan Vegetarian International Food Festival also commenced its series of activities in Singapore on the 30th. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food stated that this cross-industry marketing event is a collaboration between the Michelin Green Star vegetarian group "Yang Ming Spring" and the F&B brand "Sichuan Dou Hua Restaurant" under Singapore's Pan Pacific Hotels Group, offering Taiwanese vegetarian set menus utilizing fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from Taiwan. (Editor: Tian Ruihua Tian-Tian Ruihua Ruihua Tian) 1150701)