Severe Fruit Drop and Cracking in Citrus Producing Areas
Miaoli County citrus was affected by strong winds and heavy rain from Typhoon Qiangpi, suffering fruit drop, fruit cracking and broken branches, with farmers suffering heavy losses. County Magistrate Zhong Dongjin on October 27 invited Lin Chuanqi, Director of the Northern Region Branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, and Shi Jiahong, Director of the Miaoli District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, to inspect damage to emperor citrus in a citrus orchard next to the Beikeng Community Activity Center in Touwu Township. Legislator Qiu Zhenjun, Councilors Sun Sue, Zeng Meilu, Xu Yingping, Yang Mingye, and Touwu Township Farmers Association Director-General Xie Jinde were present.
Annual Output Value of 11.68 Billion in Harvest Season
Citrus is an important fruit industry in Miaoli County, with varieties including Ponkan, Tankan, Murcott, Emperor citrus, Sugar mandarin and pomelo types. The countywide planting area reaches 1,572 hectares, including about 487 hectares in Zhuolan Township accounting for more than 30%, 379 hectares in Dahu Township, and 143 hectares in Sanwan Township, with an annual output value of about 11.68 billion yuan. October is the fruit enlargement Jicheng maturity period, when strong winds can easily cause fruit drop, branch breakage and even lodging, while heavy rain after prolonged drought causes cracking in thin-skinned varieties such as Murcott and Emperor citrus, sharply reducing yield and quality.
Level-12 Storm Damages 241 Hectares
This typhoon recorded maximum gusts of level 12 in Miaoli County, with maximum 24-hour accumulated rainfall of 463 mm, causing fruit drop, fruit cracking and branch breakage in citrus. Preliminary reports from township and city offices put the total affected area at about 241 hectares, with an average damage level of about 20%, and estimated losses of 19,997,000 yuan. After receiving reports, the county government immediately invited the Miaoli Agricultural Research and Extension Station to assess the damage in orchards, accompanied by Agriculture Department Director Chen Shuyi.
Central Relief Plus Local Top-Up Under Discussion
The Ministry of Agriculture announced on October 26 in accordance with Article 6, Paragraph 2 of the Agricultural Natural Disaster Relief Regulations that cash relief for crops in Miaoli County will be provided: 95,000 yuan per hectare for citrus county-wide, 28,000 yuan per hectare for sorghum county-wide, and 41,000 yuan per hectare for edible corn in Yuanli Township, Tongxiao Township and Houlong Township. Zhong Dongjin discussed on-site with councilors a top-up subsidy of 20,000 yuan per hectare for fallen-fruit clearing. Chen Shuyi noted that soybeans, mesona, strawberries, water bamboo, edible tomatoes, taro, cucumbers, loofah, bananas, rice, chili peppers and agricultural facility plastic sheeting were also damaged, totaling 376 hectares, with average damage of 22% and losses of 25,739,000 yuan, for which central relief will be sought. Affected farmers may apply to township offices from October 27 to November 9.