Rules on 'zero ractopamine' will remain in force, according to Taichung City Government

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/29
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung City said Saturday (Aug. 29) the level of ractopamine in pork should be zero, despite a central government decision announced the previous day to end a ban on meat from the United States containing residues of the leanness drug.

President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) decision, which will go into force Jan. 1, received praise for helping broker a trade accord between Taiwan and the U.S. The Council of Agriculture (COA) told worried hog farmers that a NT$10 billion (US$340 million) fund would help them withstand the pressure of U.S. imports.

However, Taichung, which is ruled by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), emphasized Saturday that its local regulations listed fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$100,000 if any ractopamine was found in pork or pork products, CNA reported. The fines covered all processes involved from manufacturing to transporting and exhibiting, selling or even giving away pork.
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