Nine mystery packets of seeds, soil, or fertilizer sent to Taiwan in a week

Mysterious packages that contain Chinese seeds, soil, or fertilizer are being sent to people across Taiwan. The Council of Agriculture says there have been at least nine such deliveries since July 28. These unsolicited deliveries are arriving in shipments marked as stationery, vases, and other products that, in most cases, were ordered online. The COA is urging recipients to report all cases of strange plant-related packages. It''s also warning against planting the seeds or using the soil, as they could carry biological threats.

Chen Chi-chung
Council of Agriculture
From late July to early August, there have been nine cases of people receiving suspicious packages sent from China.

It’s image after image of mystery seeds and soil, all apparently from China. Officials said these parcels could pose a biological threat.

Chen Chi-chung
Council of Agriculture
Soil can contain roundworms, pathogens or harmful organisms. Carried in these postal packages, roundworms and pests in soil can have an impact on Taiwanese agriculture.

Soil can contain pests, and seeds can be the source of bacteria that damage the ecosystem. In the past week alone, nine of these deliveries have been reported. In eight of the nine cases, the surprise packets were tucked inside an e-commerce shipment.

Chen Chi-chung
Council of Agriculture
Six cases involve seeds, two involve soil and one delivery was fertilizer. In some instances, shoppers went on Facebook to buy what they thought were Taiwanese seeds. But then it turned out the seller was abroad. That violates our relevant regulations. I think that this is the story of how these deliveries came about.

The Council of Agriculture stressed that the entry of foreign plants or plant-related products to Taiwan must follow the relevant quarantine procedures. Officials said there’s a standard process for handling suspicious packages. After the receiver notifies authorities, quarantine officials open an investigation. Once the nature of the item is determined and research on possible pests is complete, the item is destroyed.

Chen Chi-chung
Council of Agriculture
The Customs Administration will screen every package. If there is anything suspicious, you must absolutely hand it over to quarantine authorities at once. If any parcels slip through the cracks and make it to a receiver, please take it to quarantine officials for destruction. I think the first course of action is to continue raising awareness with domestic and foreign e-commerce platforms.

The COA urged people to not use the soil or plant the seeds they receive from China. Doing so can be punished with a prison term of less than three years and a fine of up to NT$150,000. Reports have also emerged of suspicious packages from China being sent to people all over the world. The COA says knowing what to do if you receive one can help protect Taiwan’s agricultural sector.

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