Taiwan Receives First U.S. Beef Shipments

The United States exported its first shipment of boneless beef to Taiwan on April 24, ending the 18-month ban on U.S. beef. The shipment of 2.17 metric tons was received at the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport and was sampled by quarantine officials from the Council of Agriculture (COA) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Boneless beef from U.S. cattle under 30 months old, offal and specific risk materials removed, including brain, trigeminal ganglia, dorsal root ganglia and spinal marrow, and with certificates issued by the USDA can now be exported to Taiwan. Ground beef is not allowed.

The samples taken from the shipment will be tested; results of the examinations are expected in two weeks. USDA has been asked by Taiwan's Department of Health (DOH) to provide a list of approved U.S. slaughterhouses to compare with the sources of the exported beef.

DOH announced in late March that Taiwan would conditionally reopen its market to U.S. boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age beginning April 16. COA officials have said that the import ban on live cattle from the United States will remain in place.

In 2003, the United States shipped approximately $76 million of beef to Taiwan with boneless beef accounting for $56 million. The overall Taiwan beef market is valued at $325 million.