Taiwan Restricts Pork Imports from the US Due to Regulatory Barriers and ASF
Taiwan, which until recently was the only major market in East Asia free from African Swine Fever (ASF), is now facing new challenges due to an outbreak of this virus. Despite potential opportunities for expanding supplies of American pork, non-tariff barriers that have been in place for over a decade continue to restrict access for US products to the Taiwanese market.
This is reported by AgroReview
Epidemiological Situation and Regulatory Restrictions
The first case of ASF in Taiwan was confirmed last month. Despite localizing the virus, the country’s authorities imposed a 15-day ban on the slaughter of pigs and restricted the movement of livestock. These measures are intended to prevent the spread of infection and maintain production stability.
According to Erin Borror, Vice President of Economic Analysis at the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), even without considering epidemiological factors, trade in pork between the US and Taiwan is complicated by prolonged non-tariff restrictions.
“There have been longstanding barriers in the market unrelated to ASF that are very difficult to overcome,” Borror explained in a comment to Meatingplace.
Market Structure and Supply Changes
Domestic pork production in Taiwan meets about 88% of internal demand. Even before the emergence of ASF, pork prices had reached record levels: in September, the price of one pound of live weight was $1.55, which is 16% higher than last year.
In the first eight months of 2025, Taiwan increased pork imports by 47%, reaching 104,800 tons. The main suppliers remain the European Union (43% of imports) and Canada (40%).
The share of the US in the Taiwanese pork market has decreased from 40% in 2013 to approximately 10% now. In 2024, exports of American pork fell by 53% to 8,100 tons, generating less than $24 million. By July 2025, exports amounted to only 5,380 tons.
This decline is attributed to Taiwan’s strict regulatory policy. In particular, a maximum residue level for ractopamine in pork was established in 2021, along with stringent country-of-origin labeling requirements. These measures have significantly impacted the competitiveness of American products.
“Importers of American pork have faced pressure, and the product itself has effectively been pushed out of the market. We hope that the situation gradually changes, but for that to happen, trade barriers need to be lifted so that American pork has a real opportunity to compete in Taiwan,” Borror emphasized.
Analysts predict that with the stabilization of the epidemiological situation and the easing of regulatory requirements, Taiwan could once again become a promising market for American pork. However, this requires political will and a transparent trade policy from the Taiwanese government.