The Council of Agriculture (COA) yesterday promised to keep rice prices above certain levels, while calling on farmers not to believe “fake news” and rush to harvest unripe rice.
Over the past few weeks, the council has been besieged by false news about crop sales, it said.
Since last week, many rice farmers in central and southern Taiwan have begun to harvest rice before it is ripe, fearing a possible typhoon or flooding, as well as the council’s possible release of rice reserves, which would affect the sale of their harvest.
Claims that the council would release rice are fabricated, COA Deputy Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday, adding that retailers must still purchase rice from farmers.
He called on farmers not to harvest unripe rice, as it contains a higher moisture content and would fetch a discounted price.
Rice with a moisture content of less than 30 percent can be sold to the government for at least NT$950 per 60kg, he said.
If harvests are affected by natural disasters, the council would purchase the rice at NT$141,600 per hectare and offer cash relief of NT$18,000 per hectare of rice, he said.
Farmers choosing to sell rice at market can also earn a subsidy of NT$13,500 per hectare of harvested rice under the council’s policy to encourage agricultural production, he said.
Chen confirmed local media reports that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) had expressed dissatisfaction with the council’s performance in handling crop sales when he reported the council’s policies at a Democratic Progressive Party meeting on Wednesday last week.
Fluctuations in crop prices can be stabilized through short-term measures, but the council is considering more fundamental reforms, such as building cooling systems for crops and diversifying the variety of agricultural products, he said.
An imbalance in the supply and demand of crops might still occur, but the council would try to minimize its scope, Chen added.
While some farmers said they earned only NT$880 to NT$910 per 60kg of rice, it is because their rice contains up to 35 percent moisture, COA Agriculture and Food Agency Deputy Director-General Juang Lao-dar (莊老達) said.
Seasoned farmers can differentiate between the appearance of ripe and unripe rice, yet some still hurried to harvest it due to uncertainty about the weather and market prices, Juang said.
It usually takes 24 hours to dry rice with a moisture content of 30 percent or less, but it might take up to 40 hours to dry rice containing more moisture, making retailers less willing to buy it, he added.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS