Taiwan resumes pork export to Macau after 24-year hiatus

Taiwan has now resumed pork shipments to Macau after it was declared to be a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) free zone without vaccination last month.

In 1996, Taiwan pork industry’s export sales had reached $2bn. However, the following year, the country’s pork export market was severely impacted due to FMD.

Although in 2003, Taiwan was designated as an FMD-free zone, vaccination was still practised.

This year, Taiwan terminated the FMD vaccination programme.

Taiwan exported meat from 200 pigs to casino operators in Macau.

The country’s Council of Agriculture deputy chief Huang Chin-cheng said that the 550kg meat shipment to Macau was a trial batch after a 24-year hiatus and consisted primarily of refrigerated pork and frozen meat.

Last month, Taiwan received approval from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and has since been carrying out trade talks with various countries especially Japan and those in South-East Asia.

Huang added that Singapore is also expected to import pork from the country, but it is yet to send its inspection personnel.

The inspection has been delayed due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

In February this year, the Taiwanese Government banned the import of live pigs and pork products from Italy after the Italian Government grounded all its flights to Taiwan in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

On 31 January, the Italian Government ordered a suspension of all its flights between China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau due to the outbreak.