STATE TRADING

QUESTIONS FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
REGARDING CHinese Taipei's NEW AND FULL NOTIFICATION^[1]

The following communication, dated and received on 27 March 2024, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of the European Union.

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The European Union thanks Chinese Taipei for its notification _G/STR/N/20/TPKM and would like to request some additional information.

Point III. A) of the notification _G/STR/N/20/TPKM states that: "The rice production in the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu is undertaken to maintain self-sufficiency. To ensure a stable food supply and maintain the income of farmers, the AFA purchases a portion of the rice paddies owned by farmers to serve as food security stock. Most of the rice produced enters the market freely."

Question 1

The AFA purchases a portion of the rice paddies to serve as food security stock. According to table III of the notification: 358.1 (1,000 Mt) for 2021 and 365.6 (1,000 Mt) for 2022 were purchased by AFA. Could Chinese Taipei please provide further information on what the price at which the rice was purchased in 2021 and 2022 was, and on what the market price of the rice for the same two years was?

Question 2

How are the rice stocks released into the domestic market, and does this have an impact on trade?

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