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Since the beginning of 2022, Taiwan’s table egg prices continue to set new price records. The egg wholesale market closed at an all-time high price of 80NTD ($2.81USD) per kilogram on March 15. The primary contributors to the recent spike in table egg prices are lower placement of laying hens resulted from high feed prices, culling of birds contaminated by avian influenza, and lower seasonal production cycle.

This report is a voluntary update to GAIN Report TW2020-0014, published February 25, 2020. The report provides a brief introduction to Taiwan’s pesticide residue policy to include maximum residue limit (MRL) import tolerance applications, up-to-date MRL database, frequently used residue testing methods and recent MRL announcement history.

Due to lower area and yields, wheat production in 2022/23 is forecast at 26.4 million metric tons (MMT), four percent lower than last year. To make up for the expected domestic shortfall, in 2022/23 wheat imports are forecast at 1.5 MMT.

Due to the poultry industry’s slow recovery and sluggish consumer demand for edible oils, no significant growth in oilseed and edible oil use is forecast for 2022/23. Likewise, soybean, canola, and palm oil imports in 2022/23 are forecast to remain similar to 2021/22 levels.

Taiwan's economy is booming with the GDP forecasted to increase 4.42 percent in 2022. In 2021, Taiwan imported $3.93 billion worth of agricultural and food products from the US, making it the 6th largest market for U.S. agricultural products.

Due to slight increases in area and sugarcane yields, sugar production in 2022/23 is forecast to reach 7.2 million metric tons (MMT), a marginal increase over the good 2021/22 crop. Sugar consumption for 2022/23 is forecast at 6.1 MMT, which would be a 3.3 percent increase, reflecting population growth and demand from the expanding food processing sector.

With expectations for a slight increase in area, but stagnant yields, 2022/23 production is forecast to reach 6.22 million bales, a 3.7 percent increase over 2021/22.

As the world’s third largest vegetarian market with an increasing flexitarian population, Taiwan bodes well for the ingredients that address low fat, high fiber, and plant-based protein.