Taiwan seeks to resume fresh pork exports to Japan

台灣尋求恢復新鮮豬肉對日本的出口

Taiwan becomes 1st in Asia free of major swine diseases, paving way for export expansion


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Agriculture is working to resume exports of fresh pork to Japan, a trade that has been restricted since a 1997 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, CNA reported.

Hung Hsiao-chun (洪曉君), deputy director-general of the ministry's international affairs department, said that Japan was once a primary market for fresh Taiwanese pork. In May, the World Organization for Animal Health recognized Taiwan as the first country in Asia to be free of three major swine diseases. This designation, combined with the high quality of Taiwanese pork, is expected to help expand export markets.

Hung highlighted that fresh Taiwanese pork was approved for export to the Philippines in 2023 and returned to the Singapore market this year. She also said the Japanese market has changed significantly over the past three decades, with pork imports from Europe and the US. In response to this shift, she suggested that Taiwan aims to position its pork products in the premium segment.

Hung added that processed pork products have a longer shelf life and are generally easier to get import approval for than fresh pork. Taiwan's processed pork products have been approved for export to markets including Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. She suggested that expanding exports of processed pork products could further strengthen Taiwan’s global pork trade.

Cha I Shan Foods Co. Chair Chen Kuo-hsun (陳國訓) said that most pork imported to Japan from Europe and the US is frozen and transported by sea, taking up to a month to arrive. In contrast, chilled Taiwanese fresh pork can be shipped to Japan by sea in no more than five days, offering far better taste than frozen alternatives, Chen said.