Since Rice is one of political-sensitive products for Taiwan government, the government limits the quantities of import rice. Every year, there are only 144,720 MT around of white rice may get imported, and the over-imported rice has to be charged expensive tariff.
In the 144,720 MT white rice, there are 50,652 MT for private companies. Each year Taiwan government opens the tenders for the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) three times, and the amount of TRQ is the ceiling of the quantity a private company may import rice in the year.
Besides, there are 94,068 MT rice for public, which means that Taiwan government purchases the rice. The government may hold public tenders and SBS (Simultaneous-Buy- Sell) tenders to purchase the 94,068 MT rice. The public tenders are for the Department of Agriculture to storage or sales, and the SBS tenders are to trade rice imported from specific countries and then distriute to domestic rice wholesalers and retailers at the same time.
