Arrow bamboo shoot yields drop due to drought, Eastern Region Branch builds water storage facilities to fight drought

This year, rainfall in January and February was less than in previous years, affecting the production of many crops. To date, the Agriculture and Food Agency has announced that crops such as plums, arrow bamboo shoots and lychees in some areas have been affected by drought and listed as items under the cash relief program for agricultural natural disasters. Chen Chang-tsen, head of the Eastern Region Branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency, said that due to the low rainfall this year, shoot emergence has been poor, and subsequently the warm winter also led to poor growth of arrow bamboo shoots. At present, arrow bamboo shoots in Guangfu Township, Hualien County have also been announced as an item under the cash relief program for natural disasters.

Arrow bamboo shoots in Guangfu Township, Hualien listed under cash relief for natural disasters
Nationwide, the area planted with arrow bamboo shoots is concentrated in the Hualien and Yilan areas, and Guangfu Township in Hualien County is the main production area. Chen Chang-tsen said that the growth of arrow bamboo shoots this year has generally been poor. After inspections by the township office, the improvement station, the Eastern Region Branch and other units, it was found that the decline in yield is related to the weather in January and February, and there is corroborating meteorological data. The affected area of arrow bamboo shoots is initially estimated at over 100 hectares.

From now until the 26th, farmers whose arrow bamboo shoots were damaged in Guangfu Township, Hualien County may apply to the local township office for the "Cash Relief Program and Amounts for Agricultural Natural Disasters" at 36,000 yuan per hectare.

Soil and Water Conservation Bureau provides subsidies for water storage facilities
Chen Chang-tsen also said that farmers in Hualien mostly grow arrow bamboo shoots on hillsides, but there are relatively few water storage facilities locally, which makes the impact greater when drought occurs. The Soil and Water Conservation Bureau also has related programs to subsidize water storage facilities, and farmers are now being asked to assess whether they want to install equipment so that they can irrigate when shoots emerge in the future and no longer become "rain-fed fields."

Chen Shu-yuan, head of the Hualien Branch of the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, said that the bureau currently provides related subsidies for water storage facilities such as water storage tanks or farm ponds for individual use. If farmers need water storage facilities, they can apply to the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau.