The Taiwan Swine Association yesterday expressed strong opposition to the government’s announcement earlier in the day that it is to ease standards for ractopamine residue in imported pork from the US.
Allowing imports of meat products containing the controversial feed additive — which is prohibited in pig feed in Taiwan — would result in major repercussions for local pig farmers, as the production cost of pork in the US is only NT$35 to NT$40 per kilogram, compared with NT$60 to NT$65 per kilogram in Taiwan, association secretary-general Chang Sheng-chin (張生金) said. Even with transportation and other operational costs included, US pork will still be much cheaper, he added.
Association members are disappointed that they learned about the government’s decision “after watching the news,” as President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration did not communicate with the industry beforehand, Chang said, adding that the government would pursue profits for the technology and trade sectors at the expense of pig farmers, who have supported the Tsai in past elections.
Photo: CNA
If the government insists on the US imports, it should at least require pork products to be labeled with information on their origin, he said, adding that the association “does not rule out holding protests.”
The ratio between domestically-produced and imported pork in Taiwan is about nine to one, he said.
Yunlin County firmly opposes the decision and hopes the Tsai administration reconsiders it, Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan (張麗善) said.
Statistics show that Taiwan has over 5.5 million pigs, with Yunlin leading the nation with 1.56 million animals, owned by 1,190 farmers, who generate an annual value of approximately NT$32 billion (US$ 108.4 million), amounting to 43 percent of the total value of the county’s agricultural sector.
On other hand, Kuo Hsin-fa (郭新發), director-general of the association’s Pingtung County branch — another region with high production of pork — said that allowing imports of US pork containing ractopamine is unlikely to affect the local farming industry.
Taiwan has been declared free of foot-and-mouth disease, and Taiwanese pork can be exported, Kuo said, adding that the government should implement stricter pork-labeling rules to better inform the customers.
Allowing the US pork imports would not just damage the local industry, but also pose a danger to the health of Taiwanese, Consumers’ Foundation general-secretary Chen Chih-yi (陳智義) said.
“So does it mean that Taiwanese pig farmers are also allowed to use ractopamine now?” Chen added.
According to the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan still does not permit the use of ractopamine in local pig feed.
Additional reporting by Chien Hui-ju, Huang Shu-li, and Chiu Chih-jou
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
RSS