Magistrate Wang Hui-mei Urges Swift Disaster Relief for Changhua Peanut Farmers; Council of Agriculture to Conduct On-site Inspection on the 17th

Central News Agency reporters Cheng Wei-chen and Wang Shu-fen, Changhua, June 16

Changhua County Magistrate Wang Hui-mei today urged the central government to swiftly approve disaster relief for peanut farmers, as prolonged rainfall during the first harvest season has led to widespread rotting and sprouting of crops. The Council of Agriculture stated it will conduct an on-site inspection in Changhua on the 17th and, if criteria are met, promptly announce disaster relief measures.

The Council of Agriculture informed CNA reporters this evening that it had already announced cloud-based peanut farming across Yunlin County as a disaster relief item at noon today. An on-site inspection will be conducted in Changhua tomorrow, and if it meets the criteria for natural disaster relief, an official announcement will be made as soon as possible.

Speaking during an afternoon visit to Dacheng Township to assess peanut crop damage, Magistrate Wang said Changhua is Taiwan's second-largest peanut-producing region, with approximately 3,058 hectares under cultivation, primarily concentrated in Dacheng, Fangyuan, and Erlin. The county accounts for about one-fifth of the nation’s total peanut output. However, continuous rainfall has left mature peanuts submerged in high-moisture soil for extended periods, resulting in widespread plant rot and seed germination. This has hindered machinery access for harvesting and may lead to reduced yields and lower quality.

Wang noted that sweet potatoes in coastal areas have also been damaged. She has instructed the Changhua County Agriculture Department to assist farmers in assessing losses and petitioning the central government to designate Changhua as a cash disaster relief zone for agricultural natural disasters. This would enable farmers to resume cultivation quickly and stabilize production. She also advised farmers to photograph damaged fields where heavy rains have caused crops to be submerged, rot, or sprout, and to report these to their local township or city offices to facilitate data compilation.

To enhance the competitiveness of domestic peanuts, Wang proposed establishing a Taiwan Peanut Mark, strengthening food safety and border controls, and creating post-disaster support and contract farming matching mechanisms. She advocated for grading, processing, and branding of domestic peanuts, improving cold chain and drying infrastructure, subsidizing the establishment of regional drying centers in Changhua, and introducing a wet-pod trading system to enhance post-harvest handling quality and storage capacity. (Edited by Li Ming-tsung) 1150616