Following a six-day visit to Taiwan, during which Mrs Dean discussed a range of trade issues with the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, Air China and individual businesses, the MP said she now hoped that the country, which has a population of 26 million, would be more receptive to doing business with Waitaki exporters.
"Several of our most successful exports to Taiwan are kiwifruit, cherries and beef.
"What is exciting about the potential for New Zealand exporting into Taiwan, is that the New Zealand Government and the Taiwanese Government are negotiating some trade agreements, but what is exciting for us [in Waitaki] is that the Taiwanese people put a strong focus on the health benefits of food.
"So for Central and North Otago, cherries, for instance, are seen as having good health benefits."
Mrs Dean added that she also met the owner of Taiwan's second biggest burger chain. He was in the process of expanding his operation into mainland China and Australia, and used New Zealand beef exclusively.
"I was able to meet with a number of business people, and if at any point we can host those business people in New Zealand, I will certainly be looking to strengthen those links between our electorate and those business people in Taiwan."
Oamaru cherry grower and horticulture consultant Fred Field said North Otago had the potential to grow "the best cherries in the world" and he believed that the financial returns from the Chinese and Taiwanese markets could be huge.
Mr Field said cherries in Asia could sell for $150 a kg.
North Otago growers benefited from a dry climate that would allow cherries to grow for five months of the year, he said.
The long season resulted in a firmer fruit than other countries could produce, and in some cases North Otago cherry trees could yield 18kg of cherries per tree, he said.
"I have always classified Taiwan as what we call a loose market, because a lot of cherries have been going into there from South America, and they are not good cherries in quality. They don't stand up the same to the cherries we've got from here," Mr Field said.
Mrs Dean also revealed that Air China planned to increase its twice-weekly service between Taipei and Auckland (via Brisbane) to a daily service.
"That daily flight is going to bring Taiwanese visitors and tourists to Auckland, and I'd like to think that when I chat to the [NZ] Chamber of Commerce next, then I can say 'how we are going to get some of those visitors down to the South Island?"'
