What to Do When Rice Crops Are Damaged? The Agriculture and Food Agency Launches Purchases and Assists with Wet Grain Drying

For those whose rice crops were damaged by this season's June 10 heavy rain, the Agriculture and Food Agency has launched disaster rice purchases and is accepting supplementary declarations on a project basis so that farmers can make their deliveries

The Agriculture and Food Agency of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, stated that in the first rice crop of this year (2012), the heavy rain brought by the southwest air flow caused damage and lodging in parts of Chiayi, Tainan and other areas. To assist affected farmers, the agency has launched disaster rice purchase mechanisms in various locations, and farmers may deliver and sell disaster rice in accordance with the regulations. To look after affected rice farmers, for those whose damaged rice paddies were not declared for public grain delivery, the agency began accepting supplementary declaration procedures within 10 days starting from the 11th of this month, and urges affected rice farmers to deliver and sell public grain disaster rice.

Convenience measures adopted, including arranging wet grain drying and purchasing rice in line with farmers' schedules

The Agriculture and Food Agency explained that if this season's rice crop has lodged or been damaged, farmers may promptly contact their local farmers' association to complete the supplementary declaration procedures for delivering and selling disaster rice. To speed up wet grain drying, if local public grain operators have insufficient drying capacity, the agency will assist in transferring the wet grain elsewhere for drying on their behalf; if local public grain operators have no drying equipment and no facilities for collecting and transporting wet grain, farmers may contact nearby public grain operators with drying equipment to deliver public grain wet rice at another location. The Agriculture and Food Agency pointed out that to ensure farmers' rights and make it convenient for farmers to deliver rice, the agency will urge all public grain operators to accommodate farmers' schedules, accept rice delivered by farmers at any time, and continue purchasing as usual on weekends and holidays to strengthen service to farmers.

Disaster rice deliveries receive the same subsidies as standard rice, including drying and other costs of 2 yuan per kilogram of dry grain

The Agriculture and Food Agency pointed out that for this (1st) crop, the planned and guidance purchase quantity of japonica-type disaster rice is 3,200 kilograms per hectare, with a purchase price of 22 yuan per kilogram; the surplus grain purchase quantity is 3,000 kilograms, with a purchase price of 20.6 yuan per kilogram; the purchase prices for indica-type and glutinous-type disaster rice are each 1 yuan lower than that for japonica-type disaster rice. In addition, farmers delivering disaster rice may, like standard rice, receive subsidies for drying, packaging and stacking costs of 2 yuan per kilogram of dry grain. If farmers have any questions about delivering disaster rice or the supplementary declaration process, they may directly consult the agency's local branch offices or affiliated offices.

(News source: Agriculture and Food Agency press release)