Taiwan will adhere to EU standards to inspect for chemical residues in aquaculture products, a senior official said yesterday.
Hu Shin-hwa (胡興華), director of the Cabinet's Council of Agriculture's Fisheries Administration, made the remarks while briefing local aquaculture farm operators on the country's new fishery products inspection rules.
Hu traveled to National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in southern Taiwan to give the briefing after the EU's recent rejection of 30 tonnes of Taiwan fishery products, exported between August and October, for allegedly containing possible carcinogens such as chloramphenicol and furazolidone, which are used in the treatment of infections caused by bacteria.
Hu told aquaculture farm operators and seafood processors that the EU has raised chemical residue standards.
"This is a general world trend. We must follow this trend to maintain our market niche and business reputation," he said.
In the past, the maximum chloramphenicol and furazolidone residue was set at 0.3 parts per billion.
"In the future, we'll comply with the EU standard of no more than 0.1 parts per billion," Hu said.
Moreover, he said, the number of cases to be subject to spot checks as well as the frequency of inspections will all be raised substantially.
The stricter residue standard will increase the cost from NT$2,000 to NT$5,000 per inspection, Hu said, adding that the agriculture council will also invest an additional NT$50 million in acquiring new inspection equipment.
According to Hu, inspectors from fishery and health departments are visiting major aquaculture farms around the island to check whether banned chemicals are being used.
"Operators who are found to have been using banned chemicals will be fined between NT$6,000 and NT$30,000," Hu said.
Taiwan produces some 350,000 tonnes of aquaculture products a year, worth an estimated NT$30 billion.
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