TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yong (徐國勇) on Wednesday criticized Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) free school lunch policy, arguing that the city should have implemented it much earlier.
Hsu said that before Chiang announced the policy, at least 10 municipalities with fewer financial resources than Taipei had already introduced free school lunches, per Tai Sounds. He accused Chiang of timing the announcement ahead of the upcoming mayoral election in an attempt “to trick people into voting for him.”
Taipei City Government Deputy Spokesperson Yeh Hsiang-yuan (葉向媛) responded that Hsu’s criticism would also apply to several DPP-governed municipalities, including Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲), Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) and Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi (周春米), per NOWNews. She said Taipei’s policy reflects an effort to care for students in the absence of a nationwide initiative by the central government.
At present, New Taipei City and Chiayi City are the only municipalities that have yet to implement universal free school lunches, per CNA. New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said his administration is still evaluating the policy due to its financial burden and called on the central government to establish a nationwide framework, per CNA.
The New Taipei City government added that it already provides free school lunches for students from economically disadvantaged households.
Concerns over food quality and procurement standards were also raised. Chien Shu-tsung (簡書聰), chair of school catering ingredient supplier Fenfang, said local governments have failed to clearly disclose procurement processes and quality standards. He urged the central government to issue guidelines to ensure consistent nutrition and food quality nationwide.
Former agriculture minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) echoed the call, urging local governments to prioritize ingredient quality and sourcing, per UDN. He said previous subsidy programs that supported certified local producers improved food safety while helping farmers expand their operations.
However, citing fiscal pressures stemming from revised revenue allocation rules, the central government announced in 2025 that subsidies for certified local producers would end in 2026. A school catering industry insider warned that without timely local legislation, food safety inspections tied to the subsidy program could also lapse, per AgriJourney News.
One central Taiwan organic farmer identified as A-Cheng (阿成) cautioned that the end of subsidies would hurt organic farmers in central and southern Taiwan, per AgriJourney News. He noted that the three largest school lunch markets — Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan — already prioritize locally grown produce and may further favor local suppliers once school lunch policies are fully localized.
Yunlin-based organic farmer Chen Feng-i (陳鳳義) warned that some municipalities may turn to lower-quality produce to cut costs. He noted that the move would affect both students and farmers who have invested in organic agriculture.
Chen said government subsidies currently guarantee organic vegetables a price of about NT$60 (US$1.90) per kilogram, providing income stability that allows farmers to take out loans to invest in infrastructure such as greenhouse construction.
