September 21, 2010
Taiwan's farms suffer heavy damages on typhoon
Typhoon Fanapi heavily damaged farms in the east and southern regions of Taiwan, with estimated agricultural and property losses of over TWD2 billion (US$63 million) and over 2,000 hectares, according to the Council of Agriculture (COA).
According to the COA, Hualien county farmers alone experienced a loss of over TWD100 million (US$3 million) in damages. The county is among four - Chiayi, Pingtung and Kaohsiung - that have reached the amount eligible for Cash Relief for Climatic Disasters in Agriculture stipulated by the Executive Yuan.
The Hualien county government also reported heavy damages to corn, tealeaves and pineapple.
Other damages include those of forest and livestock, with a count of 8,791 pigs and 533,000 chickens left dead from the typhoon. Livestock facilities incurred TWD217 million (US$7 million) in losses, with Pingtung County reporting the most damages.
The loss of fish production occurred mainly in Kaohsiung County, with approximately NTD167 million (US$5 million) in losses and 188 hectares of fish breeding ponds severely damaged.
