Whole sprouted, moldy imported potatoes will be discarded: Agency

Taipei, April 20 (CNA) Individual imported processing potatoes found to be sprouted, rotten or moldy will be discarded in their entirety, the Ministry of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) said Monday.

The agency's comments come amid online reports that Taiwan is open to allowing the import of sprouted processing potatoes from the United States.

The agency said in a press statement that the "Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Processing Potatoes from the United States," announced in February, maintain existing standards requiring shipments to be free of eight specified pests and diseases, while also adding stricter measures such as enhanced use of sprout inhibitors and a requirement that potatoes be free of sprouts and soil at export.

Imported potatoes must also contain no more than 200 parts per million (ppm) of solanine, in line with standards for domestically produced processing potatoes, APHIA said.

As an added safeguard, any shipment found to contain sprouted, rotten or moldy potatoes will be reported to the Food and Drug Administration, with the affected potatoes removed and disposed of at designated processing facilities, the agency said.

The risk management process was designed with reference to Japan, it added.

Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) legislative caucus said at a news conference that the government would not compromise on food safety.

DPP lawmaker Fan Yun (范雲) reiterated that Taiwan uses a three-stage control mechanism: pre-shipment sprout inhibition, removal and disposal of defective potatoes before processing, and post-market sampling to ensure compliance with food safety standards.

The issue has drawn attention following the U.S. Trade Representative's 2026 National Trade Estimate Report released March 31, which addressed Taiwan's potato import regulations.

According to the report, Taiwan had rejected entire shipments containing sprouted potatoes since 2018. It added that revised rules adopted in February 2026 allow shipments with sprouting, rot or mold to enter, provided the affected potatoes are sorted out and disposed of at processing facilities.