Taipei - Taiwan's rice exports surged 20-fold in the first half of 2008 due to a global rice shortage caused by main rice exporting countries' cutting or banning exports, a newspaper report said on Tuesday.

In the first half of the year, Taiwan exported 6,634 tons of rice, up from 229 tons in 2007 during the period, earning 8.2 million US dollars as compared to the 230,000 US dollars earned in the first half of last year, the United Evening News said, quoting the Council of Agriculture (COA).

The huge export increase is unusual for Taiwan because the island's rice - claimed to be one of the best in the world - is costly and is grown in small quantities, just enough for domestic consumption with some surplus rice for export.

Taiwan rice, similar to Japanese rice, is short, round and hard, with a good fragrance and a sweet taste.

One ton of Taiwan rices sells for 1,200 US dollars, compared to 300 US dollars for a ton of South-East Asian long rice and 900 US dollars for a ton of California long rice.

The COA attributed the surge in Taiwan's rice exports to soaring rice prices, which caused panic on the international rice market, prompting leading rice exporting nations to halt or ban exports to guard against domestic rice shortages.

The dwindled supply caused some rice importing countries to buy rice from Taiwan despite the high price, the evening paper said. (dpa)