Taiwan-bred breeding pigs, pig semen approved for export to Malaysia

Taipei, Sept. 25 (CNA) Malaysia has approved imports of breeding pigs and pig semen from Taiwan, becoming a new export market following Hong Kong, Vietnam and Palau, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said Friday.

In a statement, the agency said it received an official approval letter from Malaysia's Department of Veterinary Services on Thursday, following years of consultations between the two sides.

The approval came after Malaysia completed its assessment and agreed to allow imports of Taiwan-bred breeding pigs and pig semen, the agency said, adding that exports can begin after the two sides finalize the necessary veterinary health certificates.

According to the agency, Taiwan applied in 2020 to export breeding pigs and pig semen to Malaysia and has since provided information requested by Malaysian authorities on animal health, disease surveillance and breeding-pig management through its representative office in Malaysia.

Malaysia suspended its assessment, however, after Taiwan reported an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in October 2025, the agency said, noting that after Taiwan regained its self-declared ASF-free status in April 2026, it asked Malaysia to resume its assessment.

Following continued consultations between the two sides, Malaysia eventually approved imports of Taiwan-bred breeding pigs and pig semen, the agency said.

MOA statistics showed that Taiwan exported 353, 297 and 445 breeding pigs in 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively, mainly to Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Breeding pigs were a bigger export in the 1990s than they have been in recent years, topping out at exports of US$2.85 million in 1996 before a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease destroyed Taiwan's overall pig and pork export market.

Taiwan's exports of breeding pigs resumed in 2013, but has only hit peaks of US$801,731 in 2016 and US$863,504 in 2021, and not exceeded US$223,000 in any of the last three years.

Pig semen exports over the past three years have mainly gone to Palau, the Marshall Islands and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, MOA data showed.

Malaysia is seen as a potential market because Taiwan-bred breeding pigs are popular in Southeast Asian countries due to their tolerance of humid and hot conditions and the short transportation distance to the regional market, the MOA said.

The agency said the import quarantine requirements set by Malaysia include pre-export isolation and health examinations for breeding pigs, as well as health management requirements for donor boars and artificial insemination centers supplying pig semen.

Once the veterinary health certification process is finalized by both sides, exporters will be able to apply to ship the products in accordance with Malaysia's quarantine requirements, the agency said.