Page 20 - PET worldwide issue 1/2021

Markets

A big heart for pets

If you are a cat or a dog or any pet for that matter, Taiwan is

the place to be. PET worldwide reporter Alma J. Buelva reveals
what makes this such an interesting market.

changing policies that promote according to the Pet Foods & Ap-
pet ownership and animal wel- pliances Association ROC.
fare. Such blanket government In 2020, research firm Mor-
protection and the fact that much dor Intelligence projected Tai-
of the population lives comfort- wan’s pet food consumption at
ably, if not affluently, allow pets 5 500 metric tons and 25 700
in Taiwan to also have it easy. metric tons for wet and dry pet
Nothing says “pampered pets” food, respectively. By 2024, pets
more than 1.12 bn dollars or in Taiwan are expected to con-
thereabouts of household budg- sume 310 mio dollars’ worth of
Photo: tingyaoh, Pixabay dollars) and pet care products rate of 3.56 per cent over the
ets spent on pet food (713.9 mio
pet food at an annual growth
(402.9 mio dollars) in 2019.
forecast period (2019-2024).
Compared to local brands,
Taiwan spends imported pet foods tend to be
In this small island nation, domes- big on pets more popular and have about 40
ticated animals enjoy an enviable Even a pandemic rampaging across per cent of the total market. Fwu-
status, as many young adults the globe has failed to dampen sow Industry Products, a local
would rather have pets than chil- Taiwan’s affinity for pets. With Taiwan pet food manufacturer
dren and the government is bent the country’s successful man- that’s been in the business for 20
on protecting animal rights. It is agement of the Covid-19 outbreak, years, vies with foreign pet food
this confluence of overwhelming pet businesses and pet owners labels for market share by cater-
support from private individuals were still able to come together for ing to both budget-conscious
and public agencies that creates a the 2020 Taipei Pets Show, while and quality-conscious pet own-
flourishing pet industry in Taiwan similar events were cancelled in ers. Fwusow claims that its Fuso
today. other countries. Pets and Ever Red products are
In 2017, Taiwan (officially The latest data from the Ex- the no. 1 selling dog food brands
called the Republic of China or ecutive Yuan R.O.C. Council of in Taiwan.
R.O.C.) became a safe haven for Agriculture (COA) estimates Taiwan’s pet food export per-
pets after a total ban on the kill- there were over 3 mio pets in formance, however, has grown
ing and eating of dogs and cats. Taiwan as of 2020, with at least weak, down from 10.9 mio dol-
Violators face two years of jail half a million more cats than lars in 2018 to 9.8 mio dollars
time and a hefty 65 000-dol- dogs. Treated as family mem- in 2019. Market analyst Statista
Alma J. Buelva lar fine. The government’s pro- bers, Taiwan’s pets fuel a robust expects the 2020 numbers to
is an experi-
enced journa- animal stance begins at the top pet economy for products and dip even lower as the pandemic
list from the with President Tsai Ing-wen, a services valued at 50 bn New puts a dent in the economy. Yet
Philippines. well-known cat lover whose ad- Taiwan (NT) dollars (1.69 bn for some Taiwan-based pet food
ministration has enacted game- dollars) per year at a minimum, makers, 2020 was the year to do

20 PET worldwide 1|2021

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