Pork importers should uphold their promises and only import ractopamine-free pork regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s referendum, Poultry Sale and Development Association honorary chairman Lee Chun-lai (李春來) said.
One of the items on the referendum ballot asks whether people agree that the government should prohibit imports of pork, offal or other related products containing traces of ractopamine.
Although use of the feed additive is banned for pigs in Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 28 last year announced that Taiwan would ease restrictions on imports of pork containing traces of ractopamine, as well as beef from cattle aged 30 months or older.
Photo: Reuters
The Legislative Yuan on Dec. 24 last year approved administrative directives related to the government’s decision, which took effect on Jan. 1 this year.
The Council of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health and Welfare have created an online “Pork dashboard” (ifi.fda.gov.tw/ifi/pfp/cp/pfpcp0706q.jsp) which shows daily pork statistics.
As of Friday, it showed that none of the 76,082 tonnes of pork or pork intestines imported since Jan. 1 were found to contain ractopamine residue.
Lee, along with more than 80 pork importers, which make up about 90 percent of pork importers in Taiwan, on Dec. 3 last year issued a joint statement saying that they would continue to import ractopamine-free pork only.
“We may have humble origins, but we live up to our promises: We will not import any pork with ractopamine until the public can accept such additives in their meat,” Lee said on Saturday.
Lee said that the importers have not formed an organization and their actions were all voluntary.
The importers agree that there was no need to cause consumer alarm, and that pork with ractopamine residue would not have a market, he said.
“We, too, have to uphold our social responsibility,” he added.
The public seems to think most imported pork contains ractopamine, but that is not the case, Lee said, adding that while Taiwanese pork can supply 90 percent of the market, Taiwan is not completely self-sufficient in terms of pork production.
Lee urged pork importers to clearly label their products so that consumers feel at ease.
If Taiwanese remain confident that they will remain healthy buying local and imported pork, it would be a win-win scenario for the food and pork industries, Lee added.
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