Two income families as well as single unit households are replacing the traditional extended family. Consumers are becoming increasingly health and diet conscious. Taiwan s population is aging and has a growth rate of less than 1 percent. People living within the western island corridor of Taiwan spend more on food than people living on the east coast. Taipei and Kaohsiung are the two cities showing the highest expenditure on food.
Pork is a staple in the Taiwanese diet.
Environmental concerns and continued FMD cases will limit repopulation of the Taiwanese swine herd. Once Taiwan enters the WTO, it will liberalize its import market for pork on January 1, 2005. The US is the dominant pork exporter to Taiwan. Most of Taiwan s beef demand is met by imports. The climate is generally tropical and humid.