The recent increase in US tariffs on certain products has impacted Taiwan’s agricultural and fishing products, particularly the orchid and Taiwan Tilapia, both of which rely heavily on overseas orders. Since Tainan is the nation’s largest producer of Taiwan Tilapia, the City Government is actively seeking new markets for local aquatic products. A recent success is an order of five tons of Taiwan Tilapia products from a Singaporean company. On July 2, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che visited the Jiangjun Smart Seafood Processing and Logistics Operations Center to witness the first shipment of Taiwan Tilapia products to Singapore, marking a significant step in expanding Tainan’s fish exports to the global market.
Mayor Huang expressed that Taiwan’s primary export markets have traditionally been the US, Canada and the Middle East, yet the uncertainty surrounding new US tariffs makes it essential to develop new markets. The successful entry into the Singaporean market has significantly boosted the local fishers’ confidence in expanding new export opportunities. As the global trade landscape continues to shift dynamically, the Tainan City government team remains committed to fostering public-private partnerships and advancing domestic and overseas marketing schemes. These efforts are designed to increase the visibility of Tainan’s high-quality aquatic products in the global market, drive the transformation and upgrading of the Taiwan Tilapia industry, and ensure stable incomes and industry stability for local fishers.
Huang specifically mentioned that at this year’s Singapore Food Expo, several local distributors were so impressed by the kabayaki-style Taiwan Tilapia they sampled at the Taiwan booth that they stopped by every day throughout the Expo. This shipment of fish products to Singapore includes a variety of fish products, such as raw fish patties, skin-on fillets, and frozen whole fish - ideal for hot pots and a range of dishes. It also features ready-to-eat items such as kabayaki-style fish belly and fried fish nuggets. These products will soon be available at numerous restaurants and supermarkets across Singapore.
Agriculture Bureau Director Lee Fang-lin reported that Tainan produces around 25,000 tons of Taiwan Tilapia every year, representing about 45% of the nation’s total output. The aquaculture farms are mainly distributed in Syuejia, Madou, Siaying, Lioujia, and Guantian. With the goal of establishing new markets beyond the United States, the city government team went to the Taiwan Pavilion in Singapore to promote Taiwan Tilapia during the Dragon Boat Festival. This campaign led to the collaboration between the Tainan Fishery Marketing Co. and Longrunn Food Pte - the company placed an order valued roughly NTD 600,000 for five tons of Taiwan Tilapia on June 24.
The Agriculture Bureau added that the Jiangjun Smart Seafood Processing and Logistics Operations Center at Jiangjun Fishing Harbor serves as a base for promoting local fish product processing, production and marketing regulations, and price stability. Phase one of the development was partially completed and approved in 2024, while phase two is scheduled for completion in August 2025, with handover to the operator expected by the end of October. The Center is expected to process over 1,000 tons of seafood annually, focusing on products such as Taiwan Tilapia, hard clams, oysters, white shrimp, and milkfish. All facilities meet HACCP and GHP standards and are equipped with advanced cold chain technology, positioning the Center as a demo site for cold chain logistics and aquatic product processing in Southern Taiwan.
