Taiwan Farmers Race Against Rain as Lodged Rice Crops Threaten Harvest

Heavy rainfall in Taiwan's Changhua County has devastated rice crops during the crucial first harvest season. The persistent downpours, influenced by a stationary front and southwest airflow, have caused significant lodging – where rice stalks fall over – in major growing areas like Pitou, Xizhou, and Zhutang.

Farmers are facing a difficult dilemma as they attempt to salvage their crops. Many are venturing into the fields during the rain to harvest, but are finding that grain merchants are refusing to purchase the "wet grain" due to its poor quality. This leaves farmers in a precarious position, facing potential losses whether they harvest or let the crops deteriorate further in the ongoing rain.

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I was supposed to harvest next week, and now it's all ruined.

In response to the crisis, the Zhutang Township Farmers' Association has stepped in to support the affected farmers. The association has launched a grain purchasing operation, offering to buy the wet grain at approximately NT$1,100 per 100 Taiwanese catties, with a moisture content of around 28%. They are also extending the operating hours of their drying facilities to assist farmers in processing the harvested grain. Despite the lodging, the overall yield for the first harvest is still expected to be good, provided the crops are not significantly affected by pests and diseases.

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The association has launched a grain purchasing operation starting from the 10th. Currently, the purchase price for wet grain with a moisture content of about 28% is around NT$1,100 per 100 catties.