Regulations for processing potatoes imported from the United States have raised public concerns about food safety. Premier Cho Jung-tai’s (卓榮泰) recent statement during a legislative session that customs would inspect each potato individually has also come under scrutiny.

Previously, Taiwan’s quarantine standards required that if any sprouting was detected in imported potatoes at the border, the entire shipment would typically be rejected and returned. However, under the latest Taiwan-U.S. trade agreement (ART), the U.S. requested relaxed standards. Now, if a small amount of sprouting occurs during transport in potatoes intended for processing, the entire container will no longer be automatically rejected. Instead, the shipment can be sent to a designated processing facility for sorting. 

Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) explained the process further in an interview this Friday: “If, during border inspections when customs opens a container, sprouting is found, and after the importer submits a corrective plan that we approve, the shipment will be sent to a designated processing facility or location for inspection. At that point, each potato will be inspected individually under the supervision of quarantine personnel.” However, there has been skepticism about whether such thorough inspections are feasible given current capacity.

Chen added that inspections conducted at designated processing facilities are still considered part of border inspection procedures. He emphasized that only after inspections are completed will a qualified quarantine certificate be issued, allowing the products to enter subsequent processing and production stages.