Taipei: Individual imported processing potatoes found to be sprouted, rotten, or moldy will be discarded in their entirety, the Ministry of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) announced Monday. The agency's remarks follow online reports suggesting that Taiwan may permit the import of sprouted processing potatoes from the United States.

According to Focus Taiwan, APHIA clarified in a press statement that the "Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Processing Potatoes from the United States," established in February, uphold current standards that demand shipments be devoid of eight specific pests and diseases. Furthermore, these requirements have been tightened by incorporating enhanced use of sprout inhibitors and mandating that potatoes be free of both sprouts and soil at the point of export.

Moreover, the agency stipulated that imported potatoes must not exceed 200 parts per million (ppm) of solanine, aligning with the standards for domestically produced processing potatoes. As an additional precaution, any shipment discovered to contain sprouted, rotten, or moldy potatoes will be reported to the Food and Drug Administration. The affected potatoes will then be removed and disposed of at designated processing facilities, APHIA confirmed.

The agency also mentioned that the risk management process was formulated with reference to practices in Japan. Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) legislative caucus emphasized at a news conference that the government remains steadfast in its commitment to food safety.

DPP lawmaker Fan Yun highlighted that Taiwan employs a three-stage control mechanism: pre-shipment sprout inhibition, removal and disposal of defective potatoes before processing, and post-market sampling to ensure adherence to food safety standards. The issue gained attention following the U.S. Trade Representative's 2026 National Trade Estimate Report, released on March 31, which addressed Taiwan's potato import regulations.

According to the report, Taiwan had refused entire shipments containing sprouted potatoes since 2018. It noted that the revised rules adopted in February 2026 permit shipments with sprouting, rot, or mold to enter, provided the affected potatoes are sorted and disposed of at processing facilities.