Taiwanese official apologizes for 'pineapple soursop' remarks; commentator defends him, blames KMT

Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Mainland Affairs Council, Liang Wen-chieh, has apologized to farmers for his recent remarks suggesting that pineapple soursops are a product Taiwanese rarely consume and are overly reliant on mainland China. The apology came after Chen Ying, a candidate for Taitung County Magistrate, invited Liang to taste pineapple soursop ice cream, prompting the minister to express remorse to local farmers.

However, commentator Lee Cheng-hao defended Liang, asserting that the deputy minister's statements were factually correct and that Liang should not face criticism. Lee argued that the Kuomintang (KMT) party, by repeatedly focusing on the China market during elections, is the true entity harming pineapple soursop farmers. He presented data from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taitung County Government indicating that in 2025, Taitung's pineapple soursop output will be approximately 9,000 metric tons, with 5,369 metric tons for domestic consumption and 3,631 metric tons for export.

Lee calculated that the average Taiwanese consumes about 0.39 pineapple soursops per year, or one every 2.56 years. He contrasted this with the annual domestic consumption of watermelon (350,000 metric tons) and citrus fruits (450,000 metric tons), which are 70 and 90 times greater, respectively. Lee stated that Liang's conclusion was clear: while supporting farmers is commendable, finding ways to reduce dependence on mainland China is the long-term solution.

Furthermore, Lee highlighted the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) efforts. He referenced a 2021 statement by former Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung, who advocated for diversifying markets beyond China after Beijing banned Taiwanese pineapple soursop imports. Through years of effort, domestic consumption has reportedly increased fivefold from less than 1,000 metric tons to over 5,000 metric tons, freeing farmers from dependence on China. Lee concluded that the KMT's consistent emphasis on the Chinese market is detrimental, as it leaves farmers vulnerable to Beijing's political leverage.