First report of agricultural losses from torrential rain in Taiwan, China: 16.43 million yuan, with papaya and watermelon losses the largest
Torrential rain causes disaster! As of 5 PM on May 20, agricultural disaster statistics show losses of 16.43 million yuan, mainly 10.73 million yuan in crop losses, among which papaya losses were the largest at 3.72 million yuan, and watermelon had the largest damaged area at 68 hectares. Among all counties and cities, Nantou County suffered the most severe agricultural losses, exceeding 7 million. With the frontal system passing through, torrential rain began falling successively from the 17th, and the Agriculture and Food Agency announced on the 19th that some areas of Taoyuan and Hsinchu had already met the standards for cash assistance and low-interest loans.
The Council of Agriculture compiled disaster loss reports from all counties and cities. The estimated crop losses in four counties and cities including Nantou were 10.73 million yuan, with 188 hectares of crops damaged, a damage rate of 23%, equivalent to 42 hectares of unharvested area. The top five damaged crops were: papaya, watermelon, wild rice stem, muskmelon and loofah. Papaya had the largest losses at 3.72 million yuan, with 25 hectares damaged, a damage rate of 28%, equivalent to 7 hectares of unharvested area. Because it was torrential rain, watermelon growing on the ground suffered a fairly wide damaged area, with 68 hectares damaged, a damage rate of 22%, equivalent to 15 hectares of unharvested area, and losses of 2.28 million yuan. Losses for wild rice stem and muskmelon both exceeded 1 million yuan.
The torrential rain also caused farmland to be buried. Initial estimates put private facility losses at 5.6 million yuan, mainly due to farmland burial disasters in Hsinchu County and Nantou County. In addition, there were 110,000 yuan in livestock losses, with the main damaged livestock and poultry being 9,000 chickens.
As of 5 PM on the 20th, the counties and cities that had reported disaster losses were: Nantou County, Hsinchu County, Taoyuan City, and Taichung City. Nantou County had the most severe statistics for agriculture, forestry, fishery and livestock industries and private facility losses at 7.65 million yuan, followed by Hsinchu County at 5.72 million yuan, Taoyuan City at 2.97 million yuan, and Taichung City at 90,000 yuan.
Since May 17, torrential rain has appeared successively in various places. The Council of Agriculture has announced the recipients of cash assistance and low-interest loans as: muskmelon, muskmelon and watermelon in Guanyin District and Xinwu District of Taoyuan City and Xinfeng Township, Hukou Township and Zhubei City of Hsinchu County; and muskmelon and watermelon in Yangmei District of Taoyuan City.
Su Zongzhen, head of the Northern Region Branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency, said that within the jurisdiction of the Northern Region Branch, muskmelon, muskmelon and watermelon in the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli area were more severely damaged. In order to avoid more severe damage from the next wave of rain, farmers are advised to drain water as quickly as possible when the rain briefly lets up, to avoid melons rotting. In addition, peaches are currently in their flowering period, and the rain may affect the fruit-setting rate. Su Zongzhen said that if farmers find that torrential rain has affected fruit setting, they can report it to their local township and district offices, and if damage is confirmed at that time, cash assistance will also be provided.