The first ASF case in Taiwan was confirmed last month. Although the virus has so far been contained, authorities imposed a 15-day ban on hog slaughter and restricted livestock movement to prevent further spread.
According to Erin Borror, Vice President for Economic Analysis at the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), the Taiwanese pork market remains challenging even without the added pressure of disease.
“There have been longstanding obstacles in the market — unrelated to ASF — which have been very difficult to overcome,” Borror told Meatingplace.
Domestic pork production in Taiwan covers around 88% of the country’s consumption, and even before the outbreak, prices had reached near-record highs — in September averaging $1.55 per pound of live weight, up 16% from the previous year.
During the first eight months of the year, Taiwan’s total pork imports increased by 47%, reaching 104,800 metric tons. The leading suppliers remain:
- European Union — 43% of the market share;
- Canada — 40%.
The United States, which before 2013 accounted for around 40% of Taiwan’s pork imports, now holds only about 10%. In 2024, U.S. pork exports to Taiwan dropped by 53%, to 8,100 metric tons, worth less than $24 million. As of July 2025, exports totaled just 5,380 metric tons.
One of the main reasons for this decline is Taiwan’s regulatory policy, particularly the 2021 introduction of maximum residue limits for ractopamine and strict country-of-origin labeling requirements.
“Importers of U.S. pork have been harassed, and U.S. pork has effectively been pushed out of the market. Hopefully, this situation is starting to change, but trade barriers must be removed for U.S. pork to have a fair opportunity to compete in Taiwan,” Borror emphasized.
Analysts believe that, if the animal health situation stabilizes and regulatory barriers are eased, Taiwan could once again become an important market for U.S. pork exporters. However, this will require strong political will and transparent trade policies from the Taiwanese government.
PigUA.info based on materials from meatingplace.com