The first shipment of poultry eggs from Australia to Taiwan has been approved on Thursday for release by Taiwanese authorities, marking a landmark in Australia-Taiwan trade relations. 

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Sunny Queen Australia, a farmer-owned eggs distributor, is the first company to crack its way into Taiwan. The first shipment had more than 21,000 eggs, which is considered a small number in export markets. 

"We now have bilaterally agreed certification for Australian eggs and egg products exported to Taiwan. I hope that they can become a significant destination for Australian eggs alongside Singapore and Hong Kong," said Barnaby Joyce, Australia's Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. 

Joyce added that he and his team worked closely with Taiwan's Bureau of Animal and Planet Health Inspection and Quarantine.

Australia's poultry egg market is largely focused on domestic demand, but it is now slowly exploring the international scene. Sunny Queen Australia exports eggs to countries in the South Pacific, but its first Chinese market was Hong Kong last year. 

The company's eggs will be sold in high-end supermarkets in Taiwan. 

"We believe that this first shipment to Taiwan is just the start of an exciting new direction for our business. The assistance of Minister Joyce and his team has been invaluable in making this happen, and we hope to build on this partnership to drive future growth," said John O'Hara, Sunny Queen managing director. 

O'Hara said that they had to have "tough talks" with the Department of Agriculture and Trade to make the trade happen. 

"About a year ago we decided we needed to look at offshore markets. Like any major agribusiness we've found there are limited outlets we can sell our produce in Australia so we've set out to expand our distribution base," O'Hara said. 

Sunny Queen Australia's next step is entering Southern China. 

"The market there won't open up immediately though because we're further down the priority list of the Free Trade Agreement but it's certainly in the medium-term for us," O'Hara said.

TagsAustralia Taiwan relations, Australia China trade relations, Australian eggs, Sunny Queen Australia