October 3, 2025 – Taipei – Once hailed as the “Banana Kingdom” in the 1960s, Taiwan has seen a dramatic decline in its banana export industry, though Japan continues to be its primary overseas market.
According to the Banana Research Institute, Taiwan’s bananas were a major export product six decades ago, with annual shipments exceeding 400,000 metric tons. At the time, Taiwanese bananas commanded more than 90% of the Japanese market, generating nearly US$70 million (about NT$2.1 billion) in foreign exchange each year.
However, this dominance gradually weakened due to multiple challenges. The country’s rapid industrialization shifted the economy away from agriculture, while rural labor shortages pushed wages higher, raising banana production costs. Adding to these difficulties, plantations were hit by yellow leaf disease, leading to inconsistent quality and supply. At the same time, lower-priced bananas from the Philippines gained favor in Japan, further squeezing Taiwan’s exports.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that between 2022 and 2024, Taiwan’s annual banana exports ranged from 1,338 to 1,637 metric tons, valued between US$2.19 million and US$2.896 million (NT$66.58 million to NT$88.04 million). Of these, shipments to Japan accounted for the vast majority—between 1,302 and 1,620 metric tons, or more than 97% of Taiwan’s total banana exports.
In 2022 and 2023, nearly 99% of all banana exports went to Japan, with only small amounts reaching markets such as China, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
For the first eight months of this year, banana exports reached 471 metric tons, valued at US$853,000 (NT$25.93 million). Of this, Japan purchased 457 metric tons, worth US$819,000 (NT$24.9 million), representing 97% of the export volume and 96% of the export value.
Although Taiwan’s banana industry no longer enjoys its former glory, Japan remains its most important and stable export market, continuing a trade relationship that has lasted for over 60 years.