TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Council of Agriculture (COA) assured the public on Thursday (May 13) that Taiwan has enough food for at least six months, in an attempt to end the panic buying sparked by a surge in local COVID-19 infections.
After 16 domestic cases were reported in four different parts of the country on Wednesday, Taiwanese consumers rushed to supermarkets to purchase groceries, toilet paper, surgical masks, and alcohol-based disinfectants. Several stores reported shelves being cleared of such products, though they said they could adjust to the demand.
During a press interview, the COA pointed out that the country has about 953,000 metric tons of rice in stock, which is sufficient to feed the entire population for 18 months. Meanwhile, vegetables and fruits can meet nationwide demand for six months, it said.
As far as meat is concerned, the COA said Taiwan has 525,000 metric tons of pork and 510,000 metric tons of chicken products in stock. In addition, it said 24 million eggs are supplied each day, and 579,000 metric tons of seafood will be available during the next six months.