Pomelo harvest affected by water shortages, typhoons

NEW DESTINATION: Taiwan yesterday sent its first pomelo shipment to Singapore, where it is mostly seen as a regular fruit and purchased more frequently

• By Esme Yeh / Staff reporter

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Pomelo production in eastern Taiwan is not expected to be much more than 14,000 tonnes this year, 20 percent less than the average of the previous years, due to typhoons and water shortages, the Agriculture and Food Agency’s eastern region branch said yesterday.

Pomeloes are in season as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches.

Eastern Taiwan is a key pomelo production region with 1,066 hectares of planting area, accounting for nearly one-third of the 3,626 hectares used to grow pomeloes nationwide.

Red pomeloes are loaded into a shipping container in Yilan County’s Dongshan Township yesterday.

Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times

Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山), Hualien County’s Rueisuei (瑞穗) and Yuli (玉里) townships, and Taitung County’s Donghe Township (東河) are the region’s primary pomelo producing areas, branch Deputy Director Chen Chi-tsun (陳吉村) said.

The region’s pomelo production is projected to be 14,334 tonnes this year, Chen said.

That is 20 to 30 percent less than the average of the previous years, as production was affected by water shortages in March and typhoons last year, he said.

Harvesting has been completed in Taitung, and is 90 percent done in Yilan and Hualien, he said.

The harvest would be completed by the end of this week to meet surging demand ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chen said.

Pomeloes from the east coast have varied cultivation methods, and tastes dependent on the environment they are grown in, he said.

Pomeloes in Donghe must tolerate sharper day-night temperature changes and strong winds due to their coastal location, while those in Rueisuei and Yuli townships are on hillsides with well-drained soil, Chen said.

Yilan pomeloes are more tender and sweet, while Hualien pomeloes are juicy and springy with a hint of tartness, he said, adding that Taitung pomeloes are soft and naturally refreshing.

The Dongshan Township Farmers’ Association yesterday loaded 2.4 tonnes of red pomeloes into containers and shipped them to Singapore, Chen said.

That marked the association’s first ever pomelo shipment to Singapore, he said, adding that the association would export 8 tonnes of pomeloes to the country.

While Taiwanese pomelo consumption is highly concentrated around the Mid-Autumn Festival, most people in Singapore regard it as a regular fruit and purchase it more frequently, he said.

Consumers should buy more pomeloes and store them to enhance the richness of their flavor, he said.

Freshly picked pomeloes are crisp, but they become tender five to 10 days after harvest when left in a cool, well-ventilated place, he said, adding that the method boosts the fruit’s fragrance and sweetness.