Notwithstanding these moves toward greater openness, barriers still exist in the Taiwanese market. Although import certificates are now required only for goods on the negative list, the list still covers 15 percent of all items. Phytosanitary regulations continue to be restrictive, although authorities have expressed a willingness to work with producing-country counterparts in establishing procedures to enable exported product to meet these regulations. Tariffs remain high, seriously affecting the competitiveness of many imported products, even with higher domestic production costs. Vegetable imports will continue to be most competitive during periods of higher prices typically during the summer, when poor weather causes production problems.
Imports consist chiefly of onions, cabbage, celery, cauliflower and broccoli, lettuce, and peppers.
The United States accounted for 46 percent of total 1993 import volume, primarily consisting of onions, celery, and lettuce. Because Taiwanese consumers are very quality conscious and do not accept inferior produce even at cheaper prices, U.S. success in penetrating the Taiwanese market is largely the result of high quality, relatively low prices, and excellent supply reliability. New suppliers seeking to penetrate this market will need to be able to provide similar guarantees. Best current export prospects from Southeast Asian developing countries to Taiwan are for vegetables that require labor-intensive production and for exotic fruits. The tables on the following pages provide detailed information on the Taiwanese fresh fruit and vegetable import market.