Taiwanese love Japanese wagyu: Hitachi beef exports to Taiwan surge 41 times

Taiwanese consumers' appetite for Japanese wagyu has driven a dramatic increase in exports of Ibaraki Prefecture's brand beef, Hitachi beef. In the 2025 fiscal year, exports of Hitachi beef to Taiwan soared by an astonishing 41.5 times, reaching about 18 metric tons.

This surge is part of a broader export boom for Hitachi beef, with overall overseas shipments more than tripling to approximately 173.3 metric tons from 52.1 metric tons the previous year. The brand's expansion into Islamic markets like Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, following its attainment of Halal certification, has been a key driver. Simultaneously, enhanced collaboration with importers in the United States and Canada led to a 40.3-fold increase in exports to those markets, totaling around 66.4 metric tons. Hong Kong also saw a significant rise, with exports growing 5.38 times to about 1.6 metric tons.

Despite facing challenges such as rising fertilizer, energy, and labor costs, coupled with difficulties in raising cattle during heatwaves, the Hitachi beef industry has shown resilience. The number of producers remained stable at 141, while annual sales volume reached a record high of 11,917 head, surpassing 10,000 for the sixth consecutive year. The premium brand "Kirameki" also saw a 1.7-fold increase in sales. The association aims to further boost exports to 200 metric tons in the 2026 fiscal year.

In a move to further solidify its quality, the association has introduced new certification standards, requiring an oleic acid content of over 45% for beef, a measure linked to its melt-in-your-mouth texture. This comprehensive measurement of oleic acid content across all cattle is reportedly a first for the entire Japanese beef industry, aiming to ensure consistent high quality through numerical management.