TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Agriculture (農業部) revealed on Wednesday (June 26) that the National Animal Industry Foundation (中央畜產會) failed to comply with procurement laws regarding "cold storage warehouse rent and freight" expenses. Consequently, the ministry intends to reclaim over 50% of the subsidies awarded to the foundation.
The ministry clarified that while fresh eggs are exempt from procurement regulations, associated costs such as cold storage warehouse rent and freight must adhere to these laws. Failure to comply means the foundation’s subsidy cannot surpass half of the total procurement expenses. An in-depth review uncovered that the foundation’s expenses for storing imported eggs did not align with the required procedures, leading to a decision to recover a significant portion of the subsidies.
Moreover, the ministry has forwarded an administrative investigation report to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office (台北地檢署) for further examination. During the 2022 egg emergency dispatch and production adjustment plan, the sanctioned budget for these expenses was approximately NT＄14.6 million, but the actual reimbursed amount was around NT＄7.23 million. Therefore, the ministry will recoup NT＄3.688 million from the foundation.
