US Peanut Zero Tariffs: Minister Chen Junji Urges Effective Transformation of Taiwan's Industry
Following the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade (ART), US peanuts will be imported at zero tariffs. Agriculture Minister Chen Junji emphasized today that Taiwan should seize this opportunity to transform the industry from price competition to value-driven competition, securing consumer recognition through branding and quality.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 11:01
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According to the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade (ART), US peanuts will be imported with zero tariffs. Agriculture Minister Chen Junji stated today that although the terms of the US-Taiwan negotiations have not yet been fully implemented, Taiwan should take this opportunity to effectively transform the industry, replacing price wars with value wars and gaining consumer recognition through value.
Premier Cho Jung-tai led relevant department heads to the Legislative Yuan today for a policy report and inquiry. Chen Junji made the above remarks in an interview before the session.
Chen pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture has conducted an analysis showing that US peanut imports were 75 tons in 2024 (Year 113) and 68 tons in 2025 (Year 114). The main sources of peanut imports for Taiwan are currently India, Argentina, and Brazil. Even with zero tariffs, US peanuts will primarily compete with these sources rather than directly crushing domestic production.
Chen stated that the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to monitor potential long-term impacts and has proposed several solutions. These include 'wet pod purchasing' so that Taiwanese peanut farmers do not have to work hard to sun-dry the peanuts themselves. Taiwan should seize this opportunity for effective industrial transformation through collective cultivation and group management. In this model, farmers are only responsible for planting, while subsequent processing and cold chain logistics are handled by group management entities, ensuring domestic brand advantages through brand marketing. Taiwanese people generally prefer the aroma of Taiwanese peanuts, and the ministry will continue to ensure that local peanuts remain the unique choice for domestic consumers.
Regarding the possibility that US peanut prices might impact the domestic market, Chen said that in the early days of trade, markets were mainly price-oriented. Conversely, from a domestic perspective, the goal is to replace price wars with value wars, giving Taiwanese peanuts their own brand and safety standards so that domestic consumers recognize their value.
When asked by media if peanut farmers might intentionally hoard stock, Chen stated that it is not easy to hoard peanuts at the production level. The Ministry of Agriculture will continue to hold symposiums with domestic peanut farmers, hoping to use collective cultivation contracts and wet pod purchasing to save farmers the hardship of drying peanut shells themselves. The Ministry will establish regional drying equipment and centers to assist farmers.
Premier Cho Jung-tai led relevant department heads to the Legislative Yuan today for a policy report and inquiry. Chen Junji made the above remarks in an interview before the session.
Chen pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture has conducted an analysis showing that US peanut imports were 75 tons in 2024 (Year 113) and 68 tons in 2025 (Year 114). The main sources of peanut imports for Taiwan are currently India, Argentina, and Brazil. Even with zero tariffs, US peanuts will primarily compete with these sources rather than directly crushing domestic production.
Chen stated that the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to monitor potential long-term impacts and has proposed several solutions. These include 'wet pod purchasing' so that Taiwanese peanut farmers do not have to work hard to sun-dry the peanuts themselves. Taiwan should seize this opportunity for effective industrial transformation through collective cultivation and group management. In this model, farmers are only responsible for planting, while subsequent processing and cold chain logistics are handled by group management entities, ensuring domestic brand advantages through brand marketing. Taiwanese people generally prefer the aroma of Taiwanese peanuts, and the ministry will continue to ensure that local peanuts remain the unique choice for domestic consumers.
Regarding the possibility that US peanut prices might impact the domestic market, Chen said that in the early days of trade, markets were mainly price-oriented. Conversely, from a domestic perspective, the goal is to replace price wars with value wars, giving Taiwanese peanuts their own brand and safety standards so that domestic consumers recognize their value.
When asked by media if peanut farmers might intentionally hoard stock, Chen stated that it is not easy to hoard peanuts at the production level. The Ministry of Agriculture will continue to hold symposiums with domestic peanut farmers, hoping to use collective cultivation contracts and wet pod purchasing to save farmers the hardship of drying peanut shells themselves. The Ministry will establish regional drying equipment and centers to assist farmers.