Tainan's Xuejia Kaoliang Festival Proceeds to Support Farmers Amid Flood Damage

Despite substantial losses to the first-season sorghum crop caused by heavy rains in June, the Xuejia Kaoliang Festival in Tainan, Taiwan, proceeded as planned. The event serves as a crucial platform for promoting the local sorghum industry and its unique rural culture, while also providing much-needed support to affected farmers.

Farmers who experienced significant crop damage have received cash assistance for natural disasters. The Xuejia Farmers' Association organized the festival with the theme "Local Production. Slow Travel in Xuejia" to showcase the agricultural vitality of the region. The event features a market selling local agricultural products, rural cultural experiences, and creative sorghum-based crafts, aiming to boost sales and visibility for Xuejia's specialty produce.

The festival highlights a collaboration between the Xuejia Farmers' Association and Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor, promoting the over 600 hectares of contract-grown sorghum in the Xuejia district. Visitors can experience sorghum-based products, including a tasting area for "Yi Gu Zuo Qi" sorghum liquor brewed from local crops, interactive photo booths, and workshops for making sorghum-scented shower gel. These activities aim to immerse attendees in the cultural charm of Xuejia's sorghum and explore diverse applications for the grain.

Li Xiaojun, Secretary-General of the Xuejia Farmers' Association, emphasized that Xuejia sorghum is a significant brand in Tainan's agriculture. He stated that the association's immediate assistance to farmers in applying for disaster relief and proceeding with the festival demonstrates tangible support. The event is expected to drive agricultural and tourism growth in Xuejia. Several officials, including Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Chairman Wu Kun-chang, legislator Chen Ting-fei, and representatives from the Southern Region Branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency and the Tainan City Agriculture Bureau, attended the event.