TOWN OF WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — With Hsu’s Ginseng gardens as the backdrop Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Taiwan’s representative to the U.S. Bi-khim Hsiao announced that the two sides are nearing the completion of a new trade deal that will open the Taiwan market to fresh Wisconsin ginseng and other crops.
Ginseng Board of Wisconsin President Robert Kaldunski said the deal has been in the works for 15 years, but it wasn’t until around 2016 that things started to pick up. “We’ve gotten through some of the issues with pests and things like that [which come up] when you are talking about a fresh product being taken to another country.”
He says the Ginseng Board has farms ready to deliver the product to labs which will certify it as fresh Wisconsin Ginseng. He didn’t give a timeline for when the deal would formally be signed but said he expects it to be done soon.
“It’s desired, it’s wanted. We are growing about a million pounds per year. We don’t expect [Taiwan to get] half the crop, but it could be a healthy percentage that gets shipped out,” added Kladunski.
Ginseng crop ready for harvest at Hsu’s Ginseng in Wausau. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
Hsu’s Ginseng owner Will Hsu elaborated on some of those challenges by saying every county has slightly different standards for pests and chemical residue for imports of fresh products. “The issue is how do we get the product out of the country [in a way] that meets standards into consumer’s hands?”
Hsu adds that logistical challenge is something that could not be met until now. “This industry has been here for over 100 years built on dry ginseng. To get fresh ginseng into consumer’s hands thousands of miles away is a logistical feat made possible by air freight and other technology.
“So now it’s just a question of as farmers and as an industry, is that something that we want to build here today for the benefit of consumers such as those in Taiwan?,” he added.
Hsiao said her nation has very little agricultural land, meaning trade deals like this are important to make sure everyone gets fed. Evers said Wisconsin farmers will be glad to help that cause. “It’s a small county and it’s almost all urban. We have lots of products here in the state of Wisconsin that we think we can move across the sea.”
Taiwan is about a quarter the size of Wisconsin with over 23 million residents.
Evers adds the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation will continue to work to open new trade markets for Wisconsin ag products including some scheduled upcoming trade missions to Asia.
Following Thursday’s announcement Evers and others also participated in a root-digging while representatives from Hsu’s also gave a brief demonstration on the harvesting process.
Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg also issued a proclamation declaring the month of September as Wisconsin Ginseng Month in the city, a copy of which was given to both Evers and Hsiao.
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