Over 100 Taiwanese seafood exporters are currently unable to get permission to ship their products to China, for reasons the Taiwanese authorities are still investigating, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said Thursday.
At a press conference called Thursday evening, COA Deputy Minister Chen Junne-jih (???) said the affected products mainly include squid, Pacific saury and fourfinger threadfin.
Currently, applications from over 100 Taiwanese exporters are being held up, while only one exporter has been granted approval, Chen said, adding that the COA has asked the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration to clarify the matter with Chinese authorities.
According to Chen, the issue appears to be related to companies’ compliance with a new customs registration system the Chinese authorities introduced last year, under which exporters were required to submit necessary documents by the end of August.
The COA called the news conference after rumors spread Thursday about a possible Chinese ban on the import of some or all seafood products from Taiwan.
Since June, China’s General Administration of Customs has gradually halted the import of grouper, largehead hairtail and horse mackerel from Taiwan, a ban which was later expanded to include products of multiple Taiwanese food brands.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel