Cabinet spokesperson and Minister without Portfolio Lo Ping-cheng has spoken out against a referendum on the importation of US pork containing the additive ractopamine.
The government lifted a ban on pork treated with the additive in January, removing a significant stumbling block in trade relations with the US. However, the move has been a source of controversy, with many concerned about whether the additive is safe for human consumption.
The opposition KMT has launched a movement to hold a referendum on the issue of ractopamine in imported pork. The movement is now in its second phase of signature gathering.
In a radio interview, Lo said that customs officials have inspected over 500 shipments of imported pork since the start of the year and found that none of them contained any ractopamine. Lo said that the lifting of the ban on ractopamine treated pork has therefore not yet had any actual impact. However, he said that passing a referendum to reinstate a ban on ractopamine in pork could have a real impact by hurting Taiwan’s economy.