Drought Hits Hualien's Pomelo Farmers Ahead of Mid-Autumn Festival
Water shortages in Hualien are impacting eastern Taiwan’s pomelo farmers ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival harvest. Although the local government is providing subsidies to affected farmers, many worry that the support will not be enough.
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00:00These trees in Hualien in eastern Taiwan are usually filled with plump pomelos by July.
00:05But this year it's a very different story.
00:07Lack of rainfall has left these branches with just a few harvestable fruits.
00:11Farmers are hoping the government will provide the support they need.
00:15I'm more worried. I've been asking the government for help.
00:18Farmers need to know how to survive.
00:21I hope the government can help.
00:23Hualien has seen unstable weather patterns in recent weeks.
00:27The north of the county was inundated by consecutive days of heavy rain.
00:31But just to the south, where pomelos are grown, it has been dry.
00:35Local officials in the heavily impacted Rui Sui township
00:38say farmers should be given more access to water resources.
00:41If irrigation water can be increased,
00:47and if the government provides water supply,
00:53it can be increased as much as possible.
00:55Pomelo trees depend on spring rain to flower and produce fruit.
00:59And this year's drought has reduced harvests in some farms to just 10% of their usual yield.
01:04But county officials say help is on the way.
01:06If the new government doesn't fight for it,
01:10it has already received a notice from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
01:12Farmers who are affected can go to the local government
01:16to apply for a disaster relief application.
01:18Affected pomelo farmers are eligible to apply for a subsidy of around $2,500 per hectare.
01:25But many farmers worry this won't be enough.
01:28And as the mid-autumn festival approaches,
01:30farmers may have to raise their pomelo prices to stay afloat.
01:33Justin Wu and Wessie Lewis for Taiwan Plus.