Taiwan fresh pork exports to Singapore restart after 15-year hiatus

Taipei, Jan. 8 (CNA) The first batch of fresh pork from Taiwan was shipped to Singapore on Wednesday after the city state announced in November 2024 it would reopen its market to imports of Taiwanese pork for the first time in 15 years, a Taiwanese pork producer said.

The shipment of 32.6 metric tons of chilled pork was shipped from Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, by New Taipei-based Cha I Shan Foods Co., Ltd. to Singapore-headquartered OJJ Foods Pte Ltd.

During a ceremony held in Pingtung on Wednesday to mark the occasion, a Cha I Shan Foods spokesperson said the shipment will arrive in Singapore on Thursday.

At the Pingtung event, executives from the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding, formally launching their partnership in the presence of Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季).

Chen said in his address that Taiwan used to be an important pork exporter, but due to problems in controlling swine-related diseases, Taiwan's pork exports to Singapore were suspended for over a decade.

However, owing to the strides made by Taiwan in swine disease control, the country received foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)-free status without vaccination in 2020 from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Chen noted.

Furthermore, the Singapore Food Agency announced in November 2024 that it had lifted its 15-year ban on imports of Taiwan's pork, he added.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Taiwan applied to the WOAH in August last year for recognition as a classical swine fever (CSF)-free country. Taiwan could be recognized as a CSF-free country in May this year at the earliest if the review goes smoothly, it said.

With the expected recognition, Taiwan will be the only Asian country recognized as free of CSF, FMD and African swine fever, the ministry said.