Lotus field flood damage sparks political row in Kaohsiung

KMT Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en visited Meinong to inspect flood damage, reporting that extensive lotus fields, painstakingly cultivated by local farmers, were submerged and suffered heavy losses. The situation drew mockery from some netizens and rival candidates, who questioned how aquatic plants could be harmed by flooding.

Ko's campaign office strongly refuted these dismissive remarks, stating that the Kaohsiung Agriculture Bureau and the central Council of Agriculture had inspected the damage. They urged the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) not to exploit farmers' hardships for political gain.

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Lotus grows in water, doesn't it fear flooding?

Local young farmer Huang Chi-hsuan, who grows lotus in Meinong and holds a master's degree in agricultural production, explained the misconception. He clarified that while lotus is an aquatic plant, it requires clean, flowing water and cannot tolerate prolonged submersion due to excessive rainfall overwhelming drainage systems. The resulting turbid water and high sediment content also hinder growth.

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Many people mistakenly believe that lotus, growing in water, is not afraid of flooding. This is completely untrue.

Huang further elaborated that young lotus plants with underdeveloped root systems are particularly vulnerable. Rising water levels can cause them to uproot and float, necessitating replanting. Continuous rain also reduces sunlight, slowing growth and delaying harvests. If heavy rain persists for over a week, newly planted lotus could be washed away, incurring significant costs and delaying recovery.

Ko's office condemned the political attacks, calling them a distortion of farmers' suffering and an ignorance of their actual losses. They urged the ruling party to prioritize assisting farmers with recovery and disaster relief rather than engaging in political disputes.

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The DPP should focus its efforts on helping farmers resume cultivation as soon as possible and accelerating the assessment of agricultural damage and disaster relief, rather than engaging in pointless political rhetoric.