Agricultural losses resulting from Typhoon Krosa have reached a total of NT$4.3 billion (US$131.9 million), with 12 counties and cities entitled to financial aid and low-interest loans offered by the central government, according to statistics released on Friday by the Council of Agriculture (COA).
Krosa swept through Taiwan last Saturday, bringing strong wind and torrential rain.
CROPS
Rice paddies were the worst-hit product. Other crops such as bananas, grapes, persimmons, ponkan mandarin oranges, guavas, bell fruit and papayas also suffered serious damage, according to the COA.
The COA statistics also show that losses in fishery production have amounted to NT$42.14 million, with NT$10.8 million in damage to forestry.
Damage to fields and agricultural facilities have exceeded NT$163 million, while that of fishery facilities have reached NT$195 million, according to the tallies.
FARMERS
Farmers in Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hualien, Taitung, Pingtung and Ilan are qualified to apply for government relief aid and low interest loans, while farmers in Hsinchu County and Tainan City are eligible to apply for low interest loans.
COA officials added that the council has also started buying unhusked rice damaged by Typhoon Krosa to help ease rice farmers' financial losses.
He added that the COA is continuing to release frozen vegetables and has asked farmers' associations to help farmers with harvests to meet post-typhoon market demand.
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) hosted a dinner in Taipei last night with key Taiwanese suppliers to celebrate the successful mass production of the company’s new Blackwell AI systems. Speaking to the media earlier yesterday, Huang thanked Nvidia’s Taiwanese partners for their contributions to the company’s ecosystem, while also sharing his plans to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀). In response to rumors that Nvidia will launch a downgraded Hopper H20 chip for China in July, Huang dismissed the reports, saying, “That is not true.” He clarified that there
RSS