Legislators yesterday urged the government to investigate and seize seeds that were imported from China and illegally sold in Taiwan through Facebook groups.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Michelle Lin (林楚茵) and Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) at a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei warned about the risks the seeds pose to national safety and agriculture.
Lin said that she received a report in April that someone on Facebook was selling pepino melon seeds of unknown origin, and claiming that the seeds can prevent and heal cancer, as well as reduce blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Photo: Liao Chen-hui, Taipei Times
Another Facebook seller was offering black tomato seeds, which the seller claimed lowered the risk of men developing prostate cancer and heart disease, she said, adding that current regulations do not prevent such sales.
There is no law prohibitng claims that seeds, as opposed to food, could have curative effects, Lin said.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would not halt the Facebook sales, as it questioned whether seeds could be counted as food, she said.
Lin said her colleagues inquired about the seeds and purchased them, which were falsely registered as “decorations” by the sellers.
Chao said that the sellers ignored regulations on marketing, importing, packaging and logistics to illegally sell products that were sent by untraceable companies.
“Thousands of people place orders every day, and no seller has been caught,” Chao quoted a seller as allegedly saying.
Customs officers should easily be able to discern seeds and plants from “decorations” as they appear orange in X-ray scanners, he said.
He proposed using dogs, which were helpful in detecting African swine fever, to identify illegal plants.
He also asked how the products already being imported can be traced.
Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Deputy Director-General Chou Hui-chuan (鄒慧娟) said that seeds should be registered and pass inspection before being imported.
The agency would investigate and handle reports of any seeds of unknown origins entering the country and ask that Facebook sales be halted, Chou said.
FDA Deputy Director Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said that food advertisements must not include misinformation or exaggerations, or claims to have curative effects.
People who make false advertising claims can face a fine of NT$40,000 to NT$4 million (US$1,355 to US$135,474), while those who claim food products have curative effects could face a fine ranging from NT$600,000 to NT$5 million, he said.
Although seeds are not fruit, the same penalties apply to fruit that grow from the seeds, he added.
Customs Administration Deputy Director-General Su Shu-chen (蘇淑貞) said that abnormalities detected in imported goods are examined at customs, adding that seeds and plants are sent to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine for further inspection.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS