New Zealand: First Container of Potatoes Shipped to Taiwan After Market Access
Key takeaways
- 1 first container of New Zealand potatoes reached Taiwan
- 2026 is the year New Zealand potatoes first went to Taiwan
- 20 years in business marked by exporter Harvest Fresh
- 2 islands, North and South, supply the exporter's produce
Why it matters
- For farmers
- Talk to exporters about varieties and grades that suit Taiwan. Plan irrigation now in case El Niño brings a drier season.
- For traders
- Taiwan is a new outlet for New Zealand potatoes. Check protocol requirements with MPI and test logistics and quality on arrival before scaling up.
60-second summary
Potatoes grown in New Zealand have entered the Taiwanese market for the first time, according to the exporter behind the shipment. Harvest Fresh general manager Michael Croft says one container left in August after the industry spent years securing phytosanitary access that had not existed before. The company, now in its twentieth year, also ships onions and carrots and has had a difficult 2026, with Middle East carrot sales halted by conflict, weak European onion demand and shipping delays. Other exporters, growers seeking new outlets and Taiwanese importers looking for new origins should watch how the first loads perform on arrival and on price. Growers are also planning irrigation for a possible dry El Niño season. The caveat is that this is a company statement in one trade report; the volume was small and no official protocol details or prices were published.
New Zealand potatoes have reached Taiwan for the first time. The exporter Harvest Fresh says it shipped the first container of New Zealand potatoes to Taiwan in August 2026. The trade site FreshPlaza reported the milestone on 25 September.
Michael Croft, general manager of Harvest Fresh, said the industry worked hard to secure phytosanitary access to Taiwan. Before this, the market was not open to New Zealand potato exporters.
A mixed year for exporters
Harvest Fresh exports red and brown onions, carrots and potatoes. It sources them from both the North and South Islands. The company marked its 20th year in 2026.
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According to Croft, 2026 has been an unusual year. Carrot shipments to the Middle East stopped because of conflict in the region. European onion markets were under pressure from large local supplies. Shipping delays also made on-time delivery harder.
The company says it spreads risk by sourcing from different regions. Onions come mainly from Hawke’s Bay. Carrots come from Southland and also from Western Australia. Its markets include Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and other countries in Asia, as well as Europe.
Croft said diversification helps when one region has poor conditions. The company can then switch to another region with a different climate.
Weather risk ahead
Growers are preparing for El Niño conditions. El Niño can bring drier weather to parts of New Zealand. According to the report, growers are planning irrigation to reduce the risk of drought damage in the new season.
Why it matters
New Zealand exports a large share of its fresh vegetables to Asia. Access to Taiwan adds a new outlet for potatoes. This is important when other markets face pressure from conflict, shipping problems or large supplies in Europe. The first container is a small volume. Its value lies in opening the channel. Future volumes will depend on the price, on quality on arrival and on the phytosanitary conditions of the protocol.
Photo: A container ship entering the port of Auckland, New Zealand (illustrative). GPS 56 from New Zealand / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
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What next
Exporters will assess the first shipment on quality, logistics and price. Growers are planning irrigation for a possible dry El Niño season, which may affect supply for export.
Sources
- FreshPlaza — In August we shipped the first New Zealand container of potatoes to Taiwan (25 Sept 2026) — https://www.freshplaza.com/oceania/article/9876478/in-august-we-shipped-the-first-new-zealand-container-of-potatoes-to-taiwan/
- Potatoes New Zealand — Is Your Farm Ready for El Niño? (14 Sept 2026) — https://potatoesnz.co.nz/news-info/articles/is-your-farm-ready-for-el-nino/
- По данным компании; ОДИН ИСТОЧНИК
Linked in this material
- Country
- New Zealand
- Companies
- Harvest Fresh
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