The council began to implement new regulations on organic farm produce and processed agricultural products Jan. 31, but offered a grace period so that local manufacturers and retailers could adjust their product labeling.
"From August 1, those who fail to faithfully and correctly label their farm produce and processed products will face fines," said Chen Wen-teh, director of the COA's Agriculture and Food Agency.
Since the implementation of the new regulations, nine certification companies have been accredited to certify organic farm produce and processed agricultural items, Chen said.
Meanwhile, the council has also authorized imports of certified organic farm produce and processed agricultural goods from 18 countries and areas, including Britain, France, the United States, Spain and Sweden.
Certified organic livestock and processed products from Australia, New Zealand and the United States are also allowed to enter Taiwan, Chen said.
In the past, Chen said, many agricultural products sold in the local market as organic failed to meet legal requirements.
Some 395 of the 454 products inspected before Jan.31 and marketed as organic, for instance, failed to meet legal standards, an 87 percent reject rate.
He said the high reject rate was mainly because many locally produced items had not been certified and imported goods had not been screened before being labeled as organic.
The agency also inspected 131 products manufactured after Jan. 31 and sold locally as “organic” items, 14 of which, or 11 percent, failed to meet the standards, Chen said.
From August 1, suppliers of products that fail to meet organic standards or that are not properly labeled will be slapped with fines ranging between NT$30,000 and NT$300,000.
Organic foods promoters said that at the moment, 70 percent of organic farm produce and processed agricultural goods sold locally are imported, and only the remaining 30 percent are locally produced.
They argued that the government should invest more to encourage organic food production and consumption based on health and environmental considerations.
According to COA statistics, only 0.3 percent of Taiwan's arable land is now used to grow organic produce.
Taiwan began to develop organic farming more than a decade ago. As of the end of June, 2,499 hectares of farmland were devoted to organic farming, with rice as the most cultivated item, followed by vegetables, fruits and tea, COA officials said.
Because of a stricter quality threshold, no local livestock farms have been certified as organic and only one poultry farm has received organic certification of its eggs.
In developing an organic animal-husbandry industry, operators must follow rules that mandate respect for animal welfare and have adequate supplies of organic feeds before their products can receive organic certification, COA officials noted.
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