Development of Integrated Cooperative Export Marketing System of Bananas in Taiwan

In Taiwan, bananas have been one of the most important export commodities since 1920's. The industry which has earned some 40 to 60 million U.S. dollars of foreign exchanges annually is managed and developed wholy through the private enterprises, though different in nature. At present, the export marketing of bananas is integrated by the Taiwan provincial Fruit Marketing Cooperative. In fact, it passed through a long evolutionary process and struggles before it becomes the present status. The purposes of this paper are to outline then nature and significance of the export marketing of bananas to the economy of Taiwan, and the various measures and actions taken by the government to assist with the industry, as 'well as to examine some of 'the evolutionary process and the role played by the growers I marketing cooperative in export marketing of bananas in the process of economic development.