The Taiwandelegation led by Vice Minister Huang Yu-tsai of the Council of Agriculture (COA) attended the 3^rd Cross-Strait Seminar on Agricultural Product Quarantine and Inspection held in Fuzhou , Fujian on September 28-29. The mainland Chinese delegation was headed by Wei Chuan-zhong, deputy chief of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. The two delegations discussed such issues as animal and plant quarantine and inspection procedures and management of agricultural chemicals and animal drugs. They also discussed farm produce quarantine and inspection and related issues in order to implement the Cross-Strait Cooperation Agreement on Agricultural Product Quarantine and Inspection. And the COA strived for export of more Taiwanagricultural and animal products to mainland China , aiming first at getting permission for some meat products and fruits to enter the mainland Chinese market after passing quarantine and inspection procedures.

Cross-Strait Cooperation Agreement on Agricultural Product Quarantine and Inspection Helps Export of More Taiwan Agricultural Products

The COA noted that the signing of Cross-Strait Cooperation Agreement on Agricultural Product Quarantine and Inspection on December 22, 2009 has established the mechanism for contact and consultation between farm produce quarantine and inspection agencies on both sides of the Taiwan Strait . For example, safety standards of agricultural chemical residues on the 22 kinds of Taiwan fruits allowed to be exported to mainland China have elicited a positive response from Beijing, which agreed in principle to temporarily apply Taiwan’s standards before mainland Chinese authorities set its own related standards and this was supposed to be  affirmed during the consultations in Fuzhou. In addition, Taiwanhas chosen pineapple as a demonstration item for implementing convenient customs quarantine and inspection clearance and Taiwan pineapples will enjoy the preferential treatment of convenient customs clearance if everything goes smoothly.

As to the application for processed Taiwan animal products to be imported after passing mainland Chinese quarantine and inspection procedures, mainland Chinese authorities have listed prepared meat of swine, prepared eggs with shell and prepared  poultry as the three items for priority review. The Taiwandelegation actively tried to persuade its mainland Chinese counterpart to accelerate the opening of the mainland Chinese market to Taiwan agricultural and animal products.

Quarantine and Inspection Agreement on Equal Footing Fully Protects Taiwan ’s Agricultural Production Advantages and Farmer Interests

The Cross-Strait Cooperation Agreement on Agricultural Product Quarantine and Inspection was signed on equal footing according to the principle of reciprocity in order to protect Taiwan ’s agricultural production environment and increase export of quality Taiwan agricultural and animal products, emphasized the COA. The Council added that the agreement also enables the other side to fully understand Taiwan ’s system of production safety management traceability and grant Taiwan agricultural products the preferential treatment of convenient customs clearance, so as to shorten quarantine and inspection procedures and lower the costs.

The fact that the Taiwan delegation to the Fuzhou seminar was headed by COA Vice Minister Huang demonstrated the sincerity of Taiwan in promoting cross-strait agricultural product exchanges and its determination to protect the interests of Taiwan farmers, noted the Council, adding that it will continue to actively negotiate with mainland China in the future in order to create business opportunities for Taiwan agricultural product exports to the mainland market.