Pork prices have risen for several main reasons:
- Seasonal demand: the Mid-Autumn Festival is when pork consumption in Taiwan peaks, and buying surges every year. Council of Agriculture (COA) figures show that in the month before the 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival, average consumption ran at about 1.5 kg of pork per person per day.
- Rising domestic production costs: the COA made NT$10 billion available to domestic pig farmers for industry restructuring, which reduced pork output. The pandemic and the war in Ukraine also created raw material shortages, pushing up the price of pig feed.
- Rising import prices: higher production costs overseas, together with US tariff pressure on Chinese hogs, sent imported hog prices sharply higher. COA data show that in the first three months of 2023, import volume fell by 11,200 tonnes (around 37%), with the import price reaching NT$103 per kilogram.
The controversy around imports has centered on three areas:
- Friction between government and industry: the government launched an NT$10 billion Pig Farming Industry Fund to help domestic farms improve production conditions and quality management. Some operators felt the plan did not adequately account for their interests and constraints, and a dispute over how the fund would be used and allocated broke out on 18 August 2021.
- Distrust between consumers and industry: after the government declared Taiwan free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in 2020, it did not release the relevant information and measures to the public promptly. Some consumers remain uneasy about whether the government and the industry can effectively prevent and control FMD infection.
- International market and competitiveness: since being declared FMD-free in 2020, Taiwan has lost some of its competitive advantage in global markets, and some countries or regions may restrict or ban pork exports to or imports from Taiwan over possible FMD risk. Applying for the Taiwan Pork certification label lets operators improve traceability, strengthen food safety assurance and demonstrate transparent origin certification to consumers, while government rules keep the process fair and compliant - together protecting the quality and reputation of Taiwanese pork.
How do you apply for the Taiwan Pork label?
Application process and eligibility
- Online application: go to the Taiwan Pork Certification Label application website, verify your identity with a business certificate or Citizen Digital Certificate, fill in your business details, agree to the undertaking and contract of use, and upload documentation of your pork sourcing to complete the application.
- Eligibility: for restaurants, food manufacturers, processors and retailers, the pork, directly edible pork parts and the principal ingredients of processed pork products must be Taiwanese pork.
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