Banning Chinese-made milk powder and plant proteins increases the cost for producers seeking alternative sources, but that should not push up prices for consumers given the downward trend in commodity prices over the past two months, Hung told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet task force on commodity price stabilization.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs briefed the task force yesterday on the domestic impact of the suspension of imports of milk powder, dairy products and plant protein products such as corn protein, soy protein and non-dairy creamer rom China.
The government banned such imports on Sunday.
Statistics show 4,869 tonnes of milk power was imported from China last year, accounting for 10.11 percent of total imports, and 8,622 tonnes of plant proteins were imported, accounting for 16 percent of total imports.
Chinese milk powder was cheaper than milk powder imported from Australia and New Zealand by NT$6 to NT$10 per kilogram on average.
Chinese plant proteins were cheaper than those from Indonesia and the US by an average of NT$5 to NT$9, the ministry said, based on prices recorded in June.
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