TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Following the export of 3,800 metric tons of rice to Japan in 2020, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) launched the second year of the campaign, reports said Tuesday (March 9).

Officials expressed optimism that this year’s exports would top last year’s total, CNA reported. Despite a ban by China, Taiwan has succeeded in exporting pineapples to Japan while also driving up domestic consumption.

Huang on Tuesday morning watched forklift trucks moving bags of rice from the factory to containers before they were sealed. The total amount of rice to be exported by one company to Japan could reach 4,000 tons, as 608 tests for pesticides and heavy metals have been conducted successfully.

In addition, the southern Taiwanese city has been exporting mangoes to Japan for 20 years, while pork and pineapples have also seen increases in popularity among Japanese consumers.