Dr. Chaoyun Liang is a distinguished professor in the Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development, National Taiwan University. His research focuses on human creativity, social entrepreneurship, agricultural communication, and rural marketing.
Known by many as the ‘Kingdom of Fruit’, it excels at growing a diverse array of delicious fruit. Such fruit is available year-round thanks to Taiwan’s suitable climate, geographical location, skillful farmers, and creative use of agricultural technology.
Taiwan and its surrounding islands are blessed with gifts from nature; they are situated in East Asia at the northwestern edge of the Pacific, between tropical and subtropical climate zones. This allows them to withstand formidable summer typhoons and dry winters and enjoy yearlong agricultural production. Taiwan has a range of terrains, marine ecologies, forests, mountains reaching up to 3,952 m, and diverse ethnic cultures, each with their own charming traditions and practices.
Because of these natural and human conditions, remarkable diversities of fruits can be grown here at different levels of humidity and temperature. Taiwan is also highly praised for its dedicated farmers and ingenious ways of engineering agricultural technology to maintain a high standard of fruit quality and flavor. Every month, more than one kind of fruit is in season. A partial list of fruits seldom seen outside of Taiwan is as follows:
- Litchi is unique in its red, bumpy skin and opaque white interior. It is naturally sweet and juicy with floral notes, contributing to its pleasant aroma. Litchi has a delicate flavor with high nutritional value, and it is a perfect summer treat.
- Green mango is the most unique species among many mango varieties. Smaller and sweeter than red mango, green mango possesses a soft texture and a slightly tart juice, making it the perfect summer fruit.
- Wax apple has a dense, bell-shaped body and a bright, thin skin. It is juicy, crunchy, delicious, and fragrant. ‘Black pearls’ are the most sought-after type of wax apple.
- Custard apple, also known as a ‘Buddha’s head’, has a fragrant, sweet taste, a soft texture, and a creamy, seed-filled interior.
- Longan, also known as ‘dragon eyes’, has a brown shell and juicy, white-fleshed interior. Longan has a mildly sweet, musky flavor and is commonly sold fresh, dried, or canned in syrup. Dried longan is also used in soups and hot teas.
- Taiwanese papaya has a creamy, buttery texture with a flesh that melts in the mouth when ripe. It has been associated with digestion and improving blood glucose sensitivity.
Though banana, guava, star fruit, and pineapple are obtainable year-round, some fruits are best eaten when in season. Spring to summer is the best time to savor fruit such as loquat, plum, sapodilla, watermelon, and mango. Between summer and autumn, pear, dragon fruit, passion fruit, and lime are all widely found. Autumn to winter is the prime season for citrus, pomelo, tomato, persimmon, strawberry, jujube, and melon. Furthermore, Taiwan’s creative farmers have developed approaches to genetically modified fruit, yielding delectable results. Genetically modified fruits often have extravagant names such as ‘Pearl Guava’, ‘Peach Pineapple’, ‘Apple Banana’, ‘King Kong Wax Apple’, ‘Watermelon Plum’, and ‘Belle of the Night Dragon Fruit’; all of these are innovative fruits with unique flavors and superior quality compared with others.
Taiwan has a diverse selection of quality fruits, and its fruits and dried fruits meet EU standards.
Various fresh fruits are commonly available to Taiwanese people, reducing consumer needs for dried fruit, although dried fruit production techniques are advanced. Recent research indicates that dried fruits are perceived as a snack among Taiwanese people. Local people appreciate these dried fruits as a gastronomic delight; they offer delectable flavors, convenient transport and storage, and ease of sharing while socializing with families and friends. Hence, dried fruits are popular snacks at festivals and parties in Taiwan.
To satisfy increased demand, some dried fruit manufacturers in Taiwan have increased production, but they have done so by forgoing traditional methods and misleading consumers. Although additional ingredients are not required in drying processes, some manufacturers infuse dried fruit with sugar syrup prior to drying.
In Taiwan, dried fruit consumption is a hedonistic pleasure that has become an essential part of everyday life. Taiwanese people offer fruit slices to their houseguests, gift fruit baskets to their clients, exchange assortments of quality fruit with close friends and family, and even make entertaining group activities out of picking seasonal fruit while on vacation or during festivals and celebrations.
Although fresh and dried fruit production may now be targeted to specific consumer markets—either toward those looking for fruit grown and dried in more environmentally friendly and health-conscious manners or those in search of exceptional flavor at a reasonable price—fresh and dried fruit are generally perceived as healthy choices for those craving something sweet and are also valued as humble offerings for gods and cultural symbols.
In line with an emerging geopolitical and global economic shift, Taiwan, the Kingdom of Fruit, is ready to welcome all visitors and share its remarkable culinary gifts.
References
EZGO. Retrieved from: https://ezgo.coa.gov.tw/zh-EN/Front
Quick Facts about Taiwan. Retrieved from: https://www.studyintaiwan.org/discover/quick
Sun, Y., & Laing, C. (2020). Factors determining consumers’ purchase intentions towards dried fruits. International Journal of Fruit Science. doi: 10.1080/15538362.2020.1774477