TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Legislators on Monday (Oct. 7) urged the government to reconsider its milk supply policy for schoolchildren, proposing milk vouchers instead due to storage issues.
The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA, 農業部) and Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部) initiated a plan in 2024 to provide domestic dairy products twice a week in public elementary schools and kindergartens, anticipating New Zealand dairy imports to be tariff-free in 2025.
Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Legislator Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲) highlighted the lack of cold chain equipment in many schools, leading them to opt for long-life milk. She noted that vendors deliver once a month due to transport costs, resulting in storage challenges with hundreds of boxes.
Wan suggested distributing milk vouchers to ease the burden on school staff, allowing students to collect fresh milk from convenience stores or supermarkets.
Meanwhile, KMT Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) criticized the budget, noting that the NT$14 per bottle cost, plus NT$2 for transportation, does not cover expenses. She warned that vendors struggle to comply, and small dairy farmers might face reduced purchase prices due to leftover milk.
Moreover, Lin Chien-chi (林倩綺), also from the opposition KMT, pointed out that many Asians are lactose intolerant and urged the MOE to assess students' conditions comprehensively.
Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said the initial school supply aim was to ensure direct student consumption. He assured that the ministry would collaborate with local governments to adjust the policy and, depending on implementation results, include milk vouchers in discussions.
