Mainichi Japan
Date: June 27, 2020

TAINAN, Taiwan (Kyodo) — An annual mango festival kicked off in the Taiwanese city of Tainan on Friday, with officials pointing out that sales of the popular fruit remain brisk, despite the hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tainan International Mango Festival, which runs this year from June 26 to July 12, comes at the peak of the city's mango season and includes a variety of mango-themed events.

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che told the crowd at Tsou Ma Lai Farm in Tainan, southern Taiwan, that despite COVID-19, the city's export of mangoes has grown by 14 percent since January this year compared to the same period last year.

"We hope the number will increase to 20 percent at the end of the mango season," Huang said.    [FULL  STORY]