Northwest Horticultural Council

Country Alerts

Taiwan Announces Enhanced Border Inspection for U.S. Apples

Current situation: Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced that it is increasing its border inspection rates for fresh apples imported from the United States.  The new inspection rate is 20 percent to 50 percent. This announced enhanced inspection rate will be effective from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The enhanced inspection is an increase from the normal two to ten percent inspection range.

The NHC has requested a meeting with USDA Foreign Agricultural Service officials in Taipei and Washington, D.C., to obtain an explanation for the increased inspection level and engage in problem-solving efforts.

Background: TFDA announces its enhanced border inspection list for food and related products annually. Products on the list will have an enhanced inspection rate of up to 50 percent. TFDA 2022’s enhanced inspection list removed 10 products from 2021’s list and added 15 new products to the list. For 2022, “fresh apple” (H.S. code: 0808.10.00.00.2) from the United States will be subject to the higher inspection rate effective from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The United States did not have any products on the 2021 list. Apples from Chile are also subject to the same enhanced inspection in Taiwan for 2022.

Click here for more information from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service.

Posted: 12/17/2021