Legislative Yuan Finance Committee Requests Ministry of Agriculture to Explain Supporting Measures for Potato Processing Plants
Due to food safety concerns regarding new quarantine rules for imported US processing potatoes, Taiwan's Legislative Yuan has demanded the Ministry of Agriculture explain the management and inspection regulations for designated processing plants within a week.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 16:24
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 16:31 (7 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 17:59 (1h 27m after Collected)
(Central News Agency, Reporter Lu Yan-Tzu, Taipei, 23rd) A new quarantine regulation regarding the import of US potatoes for processing has raised food safety concerns. The Finance Committee of the Legislative Yuan passed an ad-hoc proposal today, pointing out that the lack of supporting measures for the new rules could compromise food safety. It demanded that the Ministry of Agriculture explain the qualifications, management regulations, legal basis, and inspection rates of designated processing plants within one week.
Today, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Yuan invited ministries including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), and the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics to give a special report on "How Border Control, Quarantine, and Inspection Mechanisms for Imported Potatoes Guarantee National Food Safety, and the Execution of Post-Market Sampling Budgets," and to stand by for questioning.
Kuomintang (KMT) legislators Lee Yen-Hsiu, Lo Ming-Tsai, Lin Szu-Ming, and Chen Yu-Jen proposed an ad-hoc motion today. They noted that the new regulation separates the management of potatoes for processing from those for fresh consumption. The former mandates that potatoes which are sprouted, moldy, or rotten be sent directly to designated processing plants and discarded during the sorting phase. However, the lack of related supporting measures poses a risk to public food safety. They requested the Ministry of Agriculture to submit a written report to the Finance Committee within 7 days on the quarantine supporting measures for imported processing potatoes, including the qualifications of designated processing plants, management rules, legal basis, and inspection rates.
In addition, legislators from various parties raised concerns about the new quarantine rules during their interpolations. KMT legislator Lee Yen-Hsiu warned that the real risk lies in whether designated processing plants have adequate sorting machines and other supporting measures. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Wang Shih-Chien also pointed out the uneven quality of domestic food processing plants and questioned whether the inspection capacity is sufficient.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Jong-I responded that there are still gatekeeping procedures for imported processing potatoes. During the border sampling stage, if customs officials find excessively long sprouts or a sprouting rate reaching 20-30%, they will demand return or destruction. If the sprouting rate is low, the importer will be required to submit an improvement plan.
He stated that if quarantine personnel detect sprouting, they will immediately notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the MOHW to conduct a solanine test. If limits are exceeded, the potatoes will not enter the processing system.
Hu Jong-I pointed out that for potatoes confirmed to have no solanine exceedance but exhibiting sprouting, mold, or rot, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) of the Ministry of Agriculture will cooperate with the FDA. They will require operators to return or destroy entire containers, or seal the batch and send it directly to a designated area cooperating with quarantine. Before processing, under APHIA supervision, operators must conduct piece-by-piece sorting and inspection per batch and container, completely discarding and destroying any sprouted, moldy, or rotten potatoes. These will neither enter the processing procedure nor flow into the market.
APHIA Director-General Tu Li-Hwa explained that, using last year's data as an example, the overall failure rate for imported potatoes was only about 0.6%. Compliant portions can generally clear customs, while non-compliant portions are sent in special batches to designated locations, requiring operators to submit improvement plans. This designated processing plant area will be subjected to the same strict requirements and supervision as a bonded area, with batch-by-batch, container-by-container, and piece-by-piece screening.
MOHW FDA Deputy Director-General Tsai Shu-Chen explained that domestic food processing facilities and equipment must meet regulations. Before manufacturing begins, in addition to self-management and monitoring, processing plants of a certain scale must also undergo third-party verification. Regarding inspections by health authorities, there are joint project inspections by central and local governments, and local authorities will also conduct inspections based on industry characteristics.
In response to Wang Shih-Chien's point that Japan uses "color and shape recognition equipment" to inspect imported processed potatoes, Tsai Shu-Chen explained that this refers to a "sorting machine," which assesses potato shape and color, and is considered basic factory equipment. (Editor: Lin Ke-Lun) 1150423
Today, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Yuan invited ministries including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), and the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics to give a special report on "How Border Control, Quarantine, and Inspection Mechanisms for Imported Potatoes Guarantee National Food Safety, and the Execution of Post-Market Sampling Budgets," and to stand by for questioning.
Kuomintang (KMT) legislators Lee Yen-Hsiu, Lo Ming-Tsai, Lin Szu-Ming, and Chen Yu-Jen proposed an ad-hoc motion today. They noted that the new regulation separates the management of potatoes for processing from those for fresh consumption. The former mandates that potatoes which are sprouted, moldy, or rotten be sent directly to designated processing plants and discarded during the sorting phase. However, the lack of related supporting measures poses a risk to public food safety. They requested the Ministry of Agriculture to submit a written report to the Finance Committee within 7 days on the quarantine supporting measures for imported processing potatoes, including the qualifications of designated processing plants, management rules, legal basis, and inspection rates.
In addition, legislators from various parties raised concerns about the new quarantine rules during their interpolations. KMT legislator Lee Yen-Hsiu warned that the real risk lies in whether designated processing plants have adequate sorting machines and other supporting measures. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Wang Shih-Chien also pointed out the uneven quality of domestic food processing plants and questioned whether the inspection capacity is sufficient.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Jong-I responded that there are still gatekeeping procedures for imported processing potatoes. During the border sampling stage, if customs officials find excessively long sprouts or a sprouting rate reaching 20-30%, they will demand return or destruction. If the sprouting rate is low, the importer will be required to submit an improvement plan.
He stated that if quarantine personnel detect sprouting, they will immediately notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the MOHW to conduct a solanine test. If limits are exceeded, the potatoes will not enter the processing system.
Hu Jong-I pointed out that for potatoes confirmed to have no solanine exceedance but exhibiting sprouting, mold, or rot, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) of the Ministry of Agriculture will cooperate with the FDA. They will require operators to return or destroy entire containers, or seal the batch and send it directly to a designated area cooperating with quarantine. Before processing, under APHIA supervision, operators must conduct piece-by-piece sorting and inspection per batch and container, completely discarding and destroying any sprouted, moldy, or rotten potatoes. These will neither enter the processing procedure nor flow into the market.
APHIA Director-General Tu Li-Hwa explained that, using last year's data as an example, the overall failure rate for imported potatoes was only about 0.6%. Compliant portions can generally clear customs, while non-compliant portions are sent in special batches to designated locations, requiring operators to submit improvement plans. This designated processing plant area will be subjected to the same strict requirements and supervision as a bonded area, with batch-by-batch, container-by-container, and piece-by-piece screening.
MOHW FDA Deputy Director-General Tsai Shu-Chen explained that domestic food processing facilities and equipment must meet regulations. Before manufacturing begins, in addition to self-management and monitoring, processing plants of a certain scale must also undergo third-party verification. Regarding inspections by health authorities, there are joint project inspections by central and local governments, and local authorities will also conduct inspections based on industry characteristics.
In response to Wang Shih-Chien's point that Japan uses "color and shape recognition equipment" to inspect imported processed potatoes, Tsai Shu-Chen explained that this refers to a "sorting machine," which assesses potato shape and color, and is considered basic factory equipment. (Editor: Lin Ke-Lun) 1150423