The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday urged the government to suspend imports of eggs from Japan, especially from Ibaraki Prefecture, which borders Fukushima to the south.
The Council of Agriculture’s (COA) Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine is to import eggs from Japan until March 31, from prefectures unaffected by avian flu, the council said in a statement on Wednesday.
The caucus yesterday said the council was “going behind the public’s back” in making the deal, as the plan has was reported on the Japanese government’s Web site as early as Feb. 10, but not made public in Taiwan until Wednesday.
Photo: CNA
The COA must make public the contents of the deal, along with the reasons and decisionmaking behind it, KMT caucus secretary-general Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲) said.
The government should suspend all egg shipments from Japan, given avian flu concerns, the caucus said.
Japanese eggs have been approved by Taiwan, except those from Kagoshima, Ehime, Aomori, Hiroshima, Saitama, Kumamoto, Hyogo and Akita prefectures, KMT Legislator Cheng Cheng-chien (鄭正鈐) said, citing a Japanese government Web site.
Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan’s top egg-producing area, is permitted to export eggs to Taiwan, although the COA on Nov. 5 last year listed the prefecture as having been affected by avian flu, Wan said.
Allowing even a limited supply of eggs from the area into Taiwan could bring the disease into the country, she said.
Wan also questioned the government’s decision to limit the imports to March 31, saying that there should not be a deadline if the eggs are safe.
There are other countries not experiencing avian flu that could have supplied eggs to Taiwan, but the COA opted to deal with Japan without informing the public, KMT Legislator Lee De-wei (李德維) said, adding that large numbers of poultry would need to be put down if avian flu is introduced to the country.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus said that all imported eggs, including those from Japan, are to be examined by local veterinarians before being allowed on the market.
The eggs are also to be inspected before being allowed to pass through customs, DPP Legislator Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) said, adding that imports are to be labeled for public awareness.
DPP Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) said that all imported eggs from Japan are to originate from areas not affected by avian flu, adding that products banned in Japan would not arrive in Taiwan.
Eggs from Fukushima Prefecture and its surrounding area are also not allowed in the shipments, he said, adding that Japanese authorities have agreed to assist with inspections.
Additional reporting by Hsieh Chun-lin
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