Ministry of Economic Affairs resolution: 5,800 hectares of first-crop rice paddies to be fallowed in 2015 due to halted irrigation
Text/Ministry of Economic Affairs
The Ministry of Economic Affairs drought response task force once again invited the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Council of Agriculture, the Construction and Planning Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, irrigation associations and relevant county and city governments to jointly discuss drought mitigation measures on the morning of the 17th. In order to stabilize water supply for domestic and industrial use, the meeting resolved to implement fallowing with suspended irrigation for the first rice crop of the 104th year (2015) in the approximately 1,175-hectare irrigation area of the Mingte Reservoir in Miaoli and the approximately 4,625-hectare irrigation area on the north bank of the Daan River basin in Taichung. Subsequently, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Council of Agriculture will carry out the joint announcement process for fallowing with suspended irrigation, covering an area of approximately 5,800 hectares.
Yang Wei-fuu, Director-General of the Water Resources Agency, stated that compensation for fallowing with suspended irrigation is approximately NT$85,000 per hectare, with initial estimates putting the compensation funding at approximately NT$430 million.
Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Cho Shih-chao stated that although some areas in Taiwan received rainfall in early December, the amount was not large and offered limited help to the overall water situation in water-deficient areas. Regarding the water supply situation, the short-term goal remains as resolved at the first meeting: to ensure stable water supply for domestic and industrial use through next year's Lunar New Year. The overall goal is for no region to enter the third stage of water rationing before the end of May next year.
Regarding the fallowing with suspended irrigation, Deputy Minister Cho specifically instructed that after announcing the areas where fallowing with suspended irrigation will be implemented, the Water Resources Agency should promptly negotiate the division of work with the Council of Agriculture, county and city governments, and farmland irrigation associations, and strengthen communication and explanation to farmers; as for the compensation required for fallowing with suspended irrigation, the Water Resources Agency is likewise asked to handle it in accordance with relevant regulations.
As the Central Weather Bureau forecasts further chances of rain before the end of the month, another drought response meeting will be convened around the 25th to discuss areas that may be subject to fallowing with suspended irrigation in the next stage, including the Taoyuan farmland irrigation association irrigation area, the Hsinchu Touqian River irrigation area, the Miaoli Zhonggang River irrigation area, and the Chiayi irrigation area of the Chianan irrigation association.
Areas currently implementing first-stage nighttime pressure-reduced water supply measures include the Banxin and Linkou areas of New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, northern Changhua, Tainan and Kaohsiung; areas where the water situation is slightly tight and requires continued attention include southern Changhua, Yunlin, Nantou, Chiayi and Penghu. To get through this dry, water-deficient period together, Deputy Minister Cho urged all units to cooperate with the Water Resources Agency's total volume control and regional dispatch plans in the joint effort to combat the drought, and also asked the public to practice water conservation and endure the difficulties together.
