Taiwan allows UK pork imports for first time

台灣首次允許英國豬肉進口

UK pork will soon be on the shelves in Taiwan, after agreement entered into force on August 7


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan has opened itself to pork imports from the U.K. for the first time, with the first shipment to reach Taiwan over the coming weeks.

Pigs slaughtered from August 7 are allowed to enter Taiwan, after an agreement was signed in London in December 2017.

Taiwan has the highest level of meat consumption per person in Asia, and the new agreement is expected to net U.K. farmers £50 million (NT$1.971 billion) during the first five years, according to the U.K. government.

The U.K. government said that the new deal will allow for cuts of meat that are unpopular in Europe, like offal, to find keen buyers in Taiwan.

The UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board's International Market Director, Phil Hadley said "this is an exciting development and a great step forward for the UK and Taiwan."

Taiwan is the U.K.'s eight largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific, with trade equaling US$5.730 billion in 2017, which grew by 5.46 percent from the previous year.