Focus Taiwan
Date: 05/27/2020
By: Chang Ming-hsuan, Wu Hsin-yun, Tsai Peng-min and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, May 27 (CNA) Economics Affairs Minister Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) said Wednesday that he expects surgical masks to be sold at less than NT$5 each when the rationing is lifted and they become available on the open market soon, but the government will not regulate the price.

Taiwan's surgical mask production has increased from about 1.88 million per day in January, when the COVID-19 coronavirus disease began spreading beyond China, to about 20 million per day, Shen said.

Starting June 1, when masks will go on sale on the open market again, the price from the manufacturers and distributors is expected to be less than NT$5 (US$0.17) each, Shen said, noting that the sale and export restrictions are being lifted because Taiwan now has adequate mask supplies.

Since the government began requisitioning and rationing all domestically produced surgical masks at the start of February, it has requisitioned over 1.3 billion and now has an inventory of 200 million to 300 million, according to Shen.    [FULL  STORY]