Taiwan tries to revive its banana export industry

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Taiwanese banana farmers have suffered a steep decline in exports – but the industry is attempting to turn its fate around by marketing ‘luxury’ bananas and banana cake. Banana exports to Japan, formerly a major market, plummeted to 9,161 tons in 2012 from 42,600 tons in 1967. Unable to compete with cheaper producers, farmers are looking at other ways of selling the fruit. Unfortunately, however, banana cake does not ship well, says a Taiwanese bakery, and Asians aren’t familiar with the idea of baking the fruit.