No U.S. ground beef, organs in Taiwan

Under a trade agreement newly reached with Washington, the government eased early this month the imports of U.S. beef products to include internal organs, ground beef and those attached to bones as long as they meet hygiene and health standards.

However, no importers have filed applications to bring in any of these products because of strong public sentiments objecting such products here.

Officially, the doors remain open to such products as legislators of different parties have failed to hammer out a compromise on amending the Food Hygiene Administration Law.

The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was unable to push through its plan to directly deny the entry of such U.S. beef products while refusing to review alternative proposals from the ruling Kuomintang.

The strong opposition to relaxing the import rules on U.S. beef products from the DPP and consumers plus negative media reports on possible spread of mad cow disease have undercut the overall sales of American beef products in Taiwan.

Most of the leading wholesale stores were forced to cut prices by 10 to 20 percent or even higher on imports from the U.S. in order to lure back customers.

Other retailers and restaurants have to put up signs stressing they only sell or use beef products from other countries.

Some importers said it is impossible for them to create troubles for themselves by importing internal organs, ground beef and those attached to bones because they have to acquire quality inspection certificates from original suppliers and then go through more stringent series of tests on every shipment at customs here.

They said they see no possibility to import such products in the near future as current sales of their once popular products from the U.S. have stalled because of the ongoing beef safety controversies.

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