100 tonnes of Taiwan honey murcotts expected this year

Fu (second from left), Chang (second from right) and Chef Johari (third from right) showcasing the honey murcott with Shihgang District Farmers Association and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office staff during the launch.

IF YOU have been to any large retail chains recently to buy groceries, chances are you have come across medium-sized orange-looking fruits.

Those are a sweet mandarin and orange hybrid, also known as honey tangerine and honey murcott, imported from Taichung City, Taiwan.

Thanks to the Shihgang District Farmers Association (SDFA), 100 tonnes of murcott are expected to arrive in Malaysia this year.

SDFA marketing department director Fu Yu Chin said the association was working closely with key Taiwan exporters to sell more of the fruit in the country.

Murcotts were in season between December and February and grown and harvested on 598ha land in Taichung, he said.

“This means Taichung is the largest producer of murcott in Taiwan.

“The fruits are grown mainly in Dongshi, Shihgang and Xinshe districts,” he added.

Fu said the fruit was known for its thin peel and delicate pulp, as well as sweet and sour flavours.

He and key industry players were at Ibis Kuala Lumpur City Centre recently to announce the murcott export.

The event also featured chef Johari Edrus, a judge on the MasterChef Malaysia cooking show, as guest of honour.

He prepared some traditional kuih and pastries such as kuih cara incorporating murcott as the main ingredient.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office economic division director James Chang hopes to enhance bilateral ties between Malaysia and Taiwan.

The trade between the two countries, he said, had hit a record high of US$37mil (RM164.13mil) last year.

“This is a 36% growth compared to the figure in the year before,” he added.

Chang also urged Malaysia to support Taiwan’s bid to be part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would boost the bilateral trade further.

Also present at the event were Taiwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur standing committee president Tsai Hsin Tien.

The Taichung murcotts are available at major retail chains such as Harvest Impact, Jaya Grocer, Aeon, Cold Storage, Star Grocer and Wholefood Express.