A Chinese ban on Taiwanese pineapples went into effect on Monday. In response, Taiwan’s public banks have begun buying up pineapples in order to support local farmers and stimulate demand.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office says the temporary ban is because Chinese authorities discovered harmful pests in shipments of Taiwanese pineapples.
But Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture says that it has already dealt with the reports of pests in pineapples. It also says there have been no such reports since China instituted new import rules last October. The council has already put measures in place to stabilize Taiwan’s pineapple market and has set up a hotline that can take large orders of the fruit.
One organization that’s already placed a big order is First Bank, which says it will buy 50 metric tons of pineapples. The bank’s chairperson Chiou Ye-chin says the move is part of First Bank’s 120-year history of giving back to society. She says the bank will share the pineapples with customers and employees. They will also donate them to social welfare groups and rural schools in the hope that more people can benefit from the initiative.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Cooperative Bank has also pledged to buy about 60 tons of pineapples from local growers. Chairperson Paul Lei says the fruit will go to customers and to social welfare groups that the bank has worked with for many years. He also encouraged the public to eat more local, seasonal fruit.