1. Taiwan restricts exports of pineapple, banana seedlings

Restrictions on exporting seeds and their derivatives are expected to be in place by March 2024, according to the Agriculture and Food Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). Listed in a draft published by the agency are 29 such items as pineapples, bananas, tea trees, guavas, lychees, mushrooms and other produce. The agency explained that the draft is being released for a two-month public review period before being imposed in March.

2. Two major orchid events set to kick off concurrently in Tainan

The 20th Taiwan International Orchid Show (TIOS) and the 23rd World Orchid Conference (WOC) will be held concurrently in Tainan from Feb. 24 to March 10, the city's Mayor Huang Wei-che said.The Taiwan Orchid Technology Park in Houbi District will play host to TIOS, while the WOC will be held at the International Convention Center (ICC) in Guiren District from February 24^th to March 10^th. Huang said that he hoped a wall made of orchids, with the national flags of participating countries spray-painted onto flowers exhibited at the ICC for the WOC, would captivate the public's attention.The two events aim to help Taiwan's orchid industry go international and create more possibilities for development as part of the city's efforts to promote its agricultural and farm products.