Taiwan will intensify inspections on every shipment of frozen sweet potatoes imported from Vietnam following violations related to chlormequat residues. Exporters are being urged to strengthen quality control measures to ensure compliance with standards and maintain export activities.

According to information from the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has issued an official notice regarding enhanced inspections for frozen sweet potatoes imported from Vietnam.

According to the TFDA announcement, frozen sweet potato products classified under commodity code 0714.20.20.00.9 imported from Vietnam have recorded three non-compliant shipments within the past six months.

To ensure imported food safety and hygiene standards, TFDA has decided to implement enhanced inspection measures in accordance with Clause 4, Section 1, Article 10 of the “Regulations Governing the Inspection of Imported Foods and Related Products.” Under this measure, every imported shipment of the above-mentioned product will be subject to inspection.

The enhanced inspection period will apply from May 12, 2026, to June 11, 2026, based on the import date of the shipment.

TFDA’s notice also stated that before the inspection period expires, if further evaluation determines that management measures need to be extended, TFDA will publicly announce the updated information on its official electronic information portal without issuing a separate written notification.

According to findings from the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, the frozen sweet potato shipments exported to Taiwan were found to contain chlormequat residues exceeding the permitted threshold.

Under Taiwan’s “Standards for Pesticide Residue Limits in Foods,” the active substance chlormequat is not permitted to be detected in vegetables and root crops and must remain below the current testing method’s quantification limit of 0.01 ppm.

These violations are considered non-compliant with Section 5, Clause 1, Article 15 of Taiwan’s Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act, and the affected shipments are subject to destruction or re-export requirements.

The Trade Office under the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei has advised Vietnamese enterprises exporting frozen sweet potatoes to the Taiwanese market to strengthen inspection and supervision of raw material quality and production processes.

Particular attention should be paid to controlling pesticide residues to ensure full compliance with Taiwan’s food safety regulations, thereby avoiding potential losses and minimizing disruptions to export activities in the coming period.

Source: VnEconomy