
Garlic farmers in Yunlin are facing heavy losses during peak harvest season after relentless rain split open garlic bulbs, leaving much of the crop unfit for sale as dried garlic. Officials are assessing the damage and consulting agricultural experts to determine whether the losses qualify for natural disaster relief.
The field is muddy, and the crops have been uprooted. All this garlic was supposed to be ready to harvest, but they’re spoiled and give off a strange smell.
Garlic farmers in Yunlin, Taiwan’s biggest garlic producing area, recently started harvesting their crops. But continuous heavy rains starting on April 4 turned fields to mud, causing heavy losses.
Chen Chun-jen
Tainan city agriculture official
Because it’s been soaked in water, the outer husk rotted. If the bulb isn’t tightly wrapped by the husk, it splits open. This is called split cloves or sometimes “lotus garlic.”
This year’s bulbs were already smaller than usual because there was little rain at the start of the year. The rain finally came, but only caused more damage.
Garlic farmer
The price is in the production area, and wholesalers don’t dare buy like this. At around NT$15 per 600 grams and costs running from NT$50,000 to NT$60,000, selling 1,200kg for just NT$30,000 means they’re essentially taking a loss.
These ruined garlic bulbs may only be suitable for processed foods. Legislators agree that the damage should be considered a natural disaster.
Chang Chia-chun
Legislator (KMT)
We also hope to launch official subsidies for natural disasters as soon as possible, at NT$95,000 per hectare, to help farmers feel more secure.
The Ministry of Agriculture is consulting with experts to determine whether to issue natural disaster relief.
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#garlic #Yunlin #rain #heavyrain #losses #disaster #naturaldisaster #climatechange #agriculture
雲林縣蒜頭,正值採收期,最近卻遭到連續大雨侵襲,導致蒜球開瓣受損,藍、綠立委,邀請相關單位啟動會勘,初步認為,是雨災造成蒜瓣爆開,無法以乾蒜出售,只能供作加工之用。能否啟動天然災害救助?由農糧專家開會討論。
一眼望過去,田裡都是爛泥,原本應該是白白胖胖的蒜頭,竟然爛掉了,還發出怪味道。
全台最大的蒜頭產地雲林縣,近日已進入採收期,不過,4日下起強降雨,導致許多蒜田,泡在泥濘中,嚴重受損。
[[台南農改場斗南分場長 陳俊仁]]
“因為泡水的關係,外膜就爛掉了,爛掉以後,沒有外膜包得緊緊的話,這個就會開了,這個蒜瓣就叫做開瓣,或是人家叫做蓮花蒜”
蒜農說,年初無雨,導致蒜頭結球不佳,比往年小許多,雨好不容易來了,卻又變成這副模樣。
[[蒜農]]
“價格在產區,像這種盤商都不敢買,(一台斤)差不多十五元,成本要五、六萬,這十五元,兩千斤賣三萬元,根本是倒貼”
這些經過大雨沖刷的蒜球,可能只能加工用,藍綠立委都認為,應該可以判斷為天然因素導致農損。
[[立委(國) 張嘉郡]]
“我們也很希望說,現在正式迅速的啟動天然災害現金救助,每公頃九萬五,趕快讓農民心中可以安定下來”
農業部也研擬,是否啟動救助,如果確定後會儘速向農民公告辦法。
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