過去學界常以晚清臺灣海關統計資料為依據，認為十九世紀中葉臺灣開港（1860年）以後的米穀出口數額大減，出口大宗已由清初的米、糖，轉變為茶、糖和樟腦，強調開港前後臺灣貿易體制的劇烈轉變。然而，晚清臺灣米穀主要係由各條約港與非條約港的中式帆船運輸出口，並不在當時僅以條約港西式船舶為管理對象的海關統計範圍內，所以清代海關資料其實並不能充分地顯示晚清臺灣的米穀出口詳情。本文首先利用日治初期的航運與港口調查資料，證明臺灣開港以後中式帆船與非條約港的航運與貿易活動，其實仍相當發達，且臺米尤為其中重要的輸出品。其次，則以日治初期的貿易統計書等定性與定量資料為依據，重新推估晚清臺灣的米穀輸出數量；指出當時的米出口雖呈現遞減趨勢，然以輸出總值來說仍高於茶、糖，確認米穀仍為晚清臺灣出口最大宗的商品。筆者以為，開港後臺灣經濟體制雖有重大轉變，但原有貿易商品、航運與銷售體制，仍具相當程度的延續性與重要性。

Based on Taiwan's customs statistics, scholars have claimed that the amount of rice exports was greatly reduced in the mid-nineteenth century as Taiwan's main export products changed from rice and sugar in the early Qing to tea, sugar, and camphor after its the ports were opened. However, the customs statistics only include import and export commodities transported via Western ships from four treaty ports (Danshui, Keelung, Anping, and Dagou). By the late Qing, in fact, rice was transported via junks from treaty ports and non-treaty ports alike, so the customs data did not reflect actual rice exports. This article uses shipping and port survey data from the early period of Japanese colonial rule to show that after the Taiwanese ports were opened to Western countries, many of Taiwan's non-treaty ports and shipping concerns (the junk trade) remained prosperous. Their major export was rice. Rice trade statistics from the early Japanese period serve as a basis to re-estimate the amount of rice exports in Taiwan. They indicate that although the rice exports showed a trend of decline in the late Qing, their total value remained the largest amount of Taiwan's exports. Therefore, to discuss the evolution of Taiwan's export market, scholars should give attention to rice exports, non-treaty ports, and the junk trade, all of which were of significance.