Typhoon Megi devastates southern Taiwan, China, with agricultural losses across the island reaching 1 billion, and insufficient seeds for soybean replanting

Text/Kuo Hsiu-chen, Lai Yu-wei

Typhoon Megi unleashed its fury, bringing strong winds and torrential rain across Taiwan, China for a full day. No crop was spared. According to the latest statistics, agricultural losses across Taiwan, China have reached 1 billion yuan. Among the hardest hit, the Kaohsiung and Pingtung areas were struck by three typhoons in a row. Fruit trees including guava, banana, jujube and wax apple were almost completely wiped out. Early-planted second-season rice, which was only a week away from harvest, was also ruined. Farmers roughly estimate losses in the millions. As for miscellaneous grain crops such as soybeans and sesame, last year's typhoons already left them with poor harvests, and this year has been no different. Farmers lament one after another: "I don't dare plant anymore!"

Farmers: Rules on converting to miscellaneous grains are unreasonable. Agriculture and Food Agency: It's an individual problem

Su Jung-tsan, a farmer in Jiali, Tainan, who grows sesame and soybeans, mentioned that after last year's soybean crop was swept away by a typhoon, he wanted to switch to miscellaneous grain crops such as buckwheat and wheat. But he never expected that the government's rules on converting fallow farmland to miscellaneous grains would be so narrow. Once a farmer registers the crop variety, if the weather turns unfavorable, it cannot be changed midway, otherwise the farmer cannot receive the 45,000 yuan per hectare incentive.

For example, he originally declared contract farming of sesame and beans, but continuous heavy rain followed. Now he is waiting for the soil to dry before replanting, but the suitable solar term for planting has already passed. Planting anyway would only waste seeds and lead to no harvest at all several months later. But if he does not plant, not only can he not receive the conversion subsidy, he also cannot apply again for the next two seasons. This is extremely unreasonable. Farmers should be allowed, under special circumstances, to convert to other crops suited to the solar term.

Su Jung-tsan said bluntly that in order to prevent people from exploiting loopholes and claiming subsidies, the government has set the restrictions too narrowly, making it very difficult for dedicated farmers to perform. This year the rules still have not changed, so he has no choice but to follow policy and plant, but this is clearly just wasting seeds to put on a show.

In response, Weng Chen-hsin, Chief Secretary of the Agriculture and Food Agency, said that the situation mentioned by this farmer is purely an individual problem. How could conversion planting last 2 or 3 months? The second-season period is almost over, yet he wants to change the variety at the last minute. Moreover, when farmers encounter natural disasters, a cash relief mechanism can help. Such a demand is extremely unreasonable.

However, Su Jung-tsan believes that in the face of climate change and constant natural disasters, flexible design is precisely what enables risk-averse management. Farmers cannot remain disadvantaged forever, just waiting to collect subsidies after a natural disaster. Farmers also want to survive by avoiding risk, but because the government prioritizes ease of management, regulations always lag behind farmers' responses. It is truly frustrating.