The first batch of US beef exports under a relaxed ban is likely to arrive in Taiwan within a week after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued Quality System Assessment (QSA) certificates to qualified suppliers, a Ministry of Economic Affairs official said yesterday.

While the new QSA regulations stipulate that both boneless and bone-in beef from cattle less than 30 months of age slaughtered on or after Nov. 2 can be exported to Taiwan, only boneless beef from cattle slaughtered before that date can be exported to Taiwan.