China has banned imports of yet another Taiwanese product. Last year it was Taiwanese pineapple. This time it’s fish– specifically Grouper raised in Pingtung County. Chinese authorities reported finding two kinds of banned drugs in the fish. As a result China is imposing stricter inspections on grouper imports from other places in Taiwan as well.
These are fresh Taiwan grouper fish, bred in Taiwan. The fish farmers could earn a lot if they were sold to China, as originally planned. But China has refused to accept the fish because authorities there say they found prohibited drugs in them.
One Taiwanese grouper breeder suspects that Chinese officials may have tampered with data. Another fish farmer says that many people ordered the fish, but now he can’t sell them. Instead he says he will have to put them in freezers.
Both fish farmers have been breeding grouper for over 40 years. They don’t know where things went wrong, and both feel helpless. All the Pingtung County Government can do is help arrange another inspection of the fish.
Over 85% of Taiwan Groupers are exported, 99% of it to China and Hong Kong. Grouper farmers in Taiwan can only hope that the issue will be resolved before the Lunar New Year holiday, when fish on the table is a must.