Fangshan Township in southern Taiwan is home to some of Taiwan’s highest-quality mangos. But it’s also the centre of a recent outbreak of the Delta variant of COVID-19. And fears that the fruits could spread the virus have already had an impact on farmers’ finances.
Mango shaved ice is the perfect treat for a hot summer day, and mangos from Fangshan Township are the cream of the crop. But a recent outbreak of the COVID-19 Delta variant in the rural area has given pause to some.
One viral message claims that you should not smell fruits when buying them, because some fruits can carry the virus. That goes especially for mangos, the message says.
And it seems the words have had an impact on sales. One local farmer says customers have cancelled over 100 boxes’ worth of orders.
But Pingtung County Agriculture official Cheng Yung-yu says that the mangos are not a threat to people’s health. He says there have been no reports anywhere in the world of fruit carrying COVID-19.
Lawmaker Chou Chun-mi says authorities are in contact with local mango farmers. She says they’re setting up an online ordering system to address people’s concerns and show that Fangshan mangos are safe to buy.
Officials hope that they can send out the right message to get people buying these sweet fruits again. That way, the ongoing COVID crisis won’t leave these mango farmers feeling bitter.