Taiwanese are concerned over whether the domestic market would be opened to US pork containing ractopamine. The issue was brought up at the first presidential debate. When asked to comment on the issue, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) and People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) said they were against deregulation due to food safety concerns. It is a pity that they did not have time to elaborate how Taiwan could enter the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without opening its domestic market to US pork.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) failed to give a straight answer, instead proposing a “multi-layered” approach. Such an approach should include referring to the Japanese and South Korean standards, reconstructing the nation’s pig and livestock industries, specifying the source of imported pork, not allowing the domestic use of ractopamine, improving inspections and increasing the domestic agricultural sector’s competitiveness, Tsai said.
It sounded as if she was planning a conditional opening up to US pork, but at a press conference after the debate, she said it was too early to say, adding that there should be no preconditions.
The attitude differs from the DPP’s strong opposition to the import of US beef containing ractopamine, but voters are to make their own judgements.
Pork is a staple food in Taiwan and its consumption is more than seven times higher than that of beef. Taiwanese also eat the innards of pigs, which adds to food safety risks. No government can guarantee 100 percent effective food safety controls and consumers have the right to reject the import of US pork containing ractopamine.
The US, to protect its catfish industry, has — without any scientific basis — transferred the inspection of imported catfish from the US Food and Drug Administration to the US Department of Agriculture in contravention of WTO regulations.
Since Tsai says that public opinion would be respected if she is elected president, voters can express their opinion on her stance at the ballot box.
In terms of opening the market to US pork containing ractopamine, Tsai said the competitiveness of the domestic agricultural sector should be boosted, so that it would become a robust industry, not having to fear international competition. The problem is that the nation’s agricultural sector has developed unevenly. Almost 70 percent of the annual agricultural budget of more than NT$100 billion (US$2.98 billion) is spent on subsidies instead of improving the agricultural environment and developing technology.
Every year since the nation’s entry into the WTO in 2002, Taiwan has spent huge amounts of money and put a lot of effort into adjusting the agricultural sector, with the goal to increase all-round agricultural competitiveness and farmers’ incomes. During this period, the KMT and the DPP have both taken office, but after more than a decade, average farming household income remains lower than the national average. Also, the agricultural income of farming households accounts for less than 20 percent of their total income, with most farmers receiving government subsidies.
While some parts of the agricultural sector — such as pig farming, leisure farming, seedling supply businesses and custard apple, wax apple, mango and Chinese pear production — have yearly incomes of millions and even tens of millions of New Taiwan dollars, these are in the minority.
It is clear that differences in produce, scale, technology, marketing and so on are causing uneven incomes. The difference in income can be from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of NT dollars.
Only 31.1 percent of agricultural products are sold abroad — the total agricultural production value in 2013 was NT$16.28 billion and total exports stood at NT$50.7 billion — as the quality, safety, specifications and volumes of most agricultural products do not meet international standards.
It is clear that Tsai’s suggestion that the industry should be transformed cannot be accomplished in a short term — three to five years — while Taiwan’s entry into the TPP must be accomplished within that timeframe. Unless Tsai has the Midas touch, it would be difficult to gain public support for such an undertaking.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. If Taiwanese are to sacrifice the rights and interests of pig farmers and shoulder food safety risks to see Taiwan join the TPP, that is a choice that must be based on ample, correct and transparent information. It is the duty and responsibility of the next president to provide the public with this information.
Du Yu is chief executive officer of the Chen-Li Task Force for Agricultural Reform.
Translated by Eddy Chang and Perry Svensson
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