A tropical depression has brought heavy rain across Taiwan over the past week, causing floods, landslides, and all manners of destruction. Though water is essential for growing crops, the relentless downpour has impacted the finances of farmers in southern Taiwan.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai stands in the middle of a papaya orchard, pure disbelief on his face. What used to be a well-kept fruit farm in his city, is now piles of mud and ruined crops. Heavy rains have battered Southern Taiwan over the past week, washing away months of hard work.
In Tainan, less than an hour away, a field full of melons is submerged in water. The farmer here tells us that the rain is just too much.
What should be a crop of beautiful purple eggplants in Taiwan’s southernmost Pingtung County has turned into yellow-brown mush. The farmer says the torrential downpour has destroyed 70%-80% of his harvest.
It's estimated that these freak weather conditions have caused NT$200 million ($7.19 million) in damage to agriculture.
Though the situation seems dire, Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung assures farmers that the government will always have their backs. Farmers can apply for relief and low-interest loans to help cope with these losses.
More than money, though, these farmers are hoping for mercy from the weather gods.