US Potatoes Can Be Imported Even if Sprouted or Rotted? Minister Shih: Taken Out of Context
Taiwan's Minister of Health and Welfare clarified that claims allowing blanket imports of sprouted US potatoes are false. Strict quarantine, sprout inhibitors, and localized culling at processing plants remain mandatory.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 14:16
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 14:31 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 06:37 (88h 5m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, 15th) Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang stated today that the claim "US potatoes that have sprouted or rotted can also be imported" is taken out of context. Before importation, they must meet quarantine certification requirements, be treated with sprout inhibitors, and undergo checks at the border and processing facilities; they cannot be imported without screening.
Shih Chung-liang attended the Legislative Yuan's Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee this morning to deliver a special report and take questions on issues including the 2026 "National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers" (NTE) released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
Regarding the opening of imports for sliced potatoes with sprouts (or rot/mold), Shih bluntly told the media before the meeting that the narrative "sprouted or rotted ones can also be imported" is "a bit out of context." That text is merely descriptive within the relevant regulations, not a prerequisite for importation.
He explained that the system controls quality from the source. All potatoes for processing must meet quarantine certification requirements before entering Taiwan, and must be treated with sprout inhibitors. Only after reaching a certain quarantine standard can they enter Taiwan; they cannot be imported without screening.
"Even if the products enter Taiwan, they will still be inspected at customs." Shih pointed out that if partial sprouting or rotting occurs during transit, they do not directly enter the market. Instead, special handling is carried out, such as sealing them first and then sending them to processing facilities for culling. The parts that do not meet the regulations will not be used.
Furthermore, Shih emphasized that if the entire batch has severe quality issues, the entire batch will still be rejected, not entirely cleared; the partial culling method will only be adopted when problems appear in a "portion."
Tu Li-hua, Director General of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, stated during the interpellation that the relevant system is not a comprehensive relaxation, but rather responds to international trade requests within the existing framework, while maintaining safety and risk control through front-end quarantine, process inspection, and back-end processing.
Tu said that facing requests in US trade negotiations, Taiwan adjusted quarantine conditions based on international standards and risk assessments, rather than simply relaxing restrictions.
Tu stated that the announced quarantine conditions still maintain the management intensity for 8 pests and diseases. They have also added requirements for the US to strengthen sprout inhibitor application procedures before export, while confirming there are no sprouts or soil, and the quarantine certificate must state it is for processing purposes only. If rot, mold, or sprouting is found after importation, the potatoes must be sent directly to the processing plant for sorting under safe protections. (Editor: Wu Su-rou) 1150415
(CNA Reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, 15th) Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang stated today that the claim "US potatoes that have sprouted or rotted can also be imported" is taken out of context. Before importation, they must meet quarantine certification requirements, be treated with sprout inhibitors, and undergo checks at the border and processing facilities; they cannot be imported without screening.
Shih Chung-liang attended the Legislative Yuan's Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee this morning to deliver a special report and take questions on issues including the 2026 "National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers" (NTE) released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
Regarding the opening of imports for sliced potatoes with sprouts (or rot/mold), Shih bluntly told the media before the meeting that the narrative "sprouted or rotted ones can also be imported" is "a bit out of context." That text is merely descriptive within the relevant regulations, not a prerequisite for importation.
He explained that the system controls quality from the source. All potatoes for processing must meet quarantine certification requirements before entering Taiwan, and must be treated with sprout inhibitors. Only after reaching a certain quarantine standard can they enter Taiwan; they cannot be imported without screening.
"Even if the products enter Taiwan, they will still be inspected at customs." Shih pointed out that if partial sprouting or rotting occurs during transit, they do not directly enter the market. Instead, special handling is carried out, such as sealing them first and then sending them to processing facilities for culling. The parts that do not meet the regulations will not be used.
Furthermore, Shih emphasized that if the entire batch has severe quality issues, the entire batch will still be rejected, not entirely cleared; the partial culling method will only be adopted when problems appear in a "portion."
Tu Li-hua, Director General of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, stated during the interpellation that the relevant system is not a comprehensive relaxation, but rather responds to international trade requests within the existing framework, while maintaining safety and risk control through front-end quarantine, process inspection, and back-end processing.
Tu said that facing requests in US trade negotiations, Taiwan adjusted quarantine conditions based on international standards and risk assessments, rather than simply relaxing restrictions.
Tu stated that the announced quarantine conditions still maintain the management intensity for 8 pests and diseases. They have also added requirements for the US to strengthen sprout inhibitor application procedures before export, while confirming there are no sprouts or soil, and the quarantine certificate must state it is for processing purposes only. If rot, mold, or sprouting is found after importation, the potatoes must be sent directly to the processing plant for sorting under safe protections. (Editor: Wu Su-rou) 1150415