Taiwanese grouper will enter Japanese conveyor belt sushi restaurants next year. This announcement came from an agricultural council press release on Wednesday.
On that day, the Kaohsiung Fisheries Association, Niyu Life agricultural company, and Kura Sushi Asia signed a procurement memorandum in Tokyo. Kura Sushi will purchase frozen Taiwan grouper and will launch multiple grouper dishes in its chain stores in Japan next year.
China suspended the import of Taiwanese groupers in June after reportedly finding prohibited chemicals. This has forced the industry to explore new business opportunities in other markets such as the United States, Malaysia, and New Zealand.
Fisheries Department Director Chang Chih-sheng (張致盛) expects to export 50,000 kilograms of raw grouper to Japan in just the first shipment.
According to the Fisheries Department, Taiwanese grouper is professionally farmed and handled according to international norms. The signing of the procurement memorandum symbolizes new business opportunities for Taiwan to expand grouper exports.