By Chris Wang
Staff Reporter
The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has failed to care for farmers — fruit growers in particular — and it has proven incapable of resolving agricultural supply imbalances and falling produce prices, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said at a campaign event in Greater Kaohsiung yesterday.
Photo: CNA
Tsai focused on agricultural development during her campaign visit to the south, where she attended nine grand opening ceremonies at campaign headquarters of DPP legislative candidates.
“The DPP is ready with good policies to turn Taiwan’s agricultural development around,” she told supporters in Gangshan (岡山), Greater Kaohsiung.
Tsai said the agricultural industry, particularly in the fruit-growing sector, has experienced serious supply and demand imbalances, which has led to falling prices over the past three years, adding that the trade deficit for Taiwanese fruit increased by NT$240 million (US$7.9 million) between 2007 and last year.
“The current situation shows that the government is not doing its job — and probably doesn’t know how to get the job done,” Tsai said, adding that Ma “reads the data of his public opinion polls more carefully than economic data.”
Tsai said the DPP has raised these issues with the government, but was given the cold shoulder by the Ma administration, which subsequently used the topic to attack her campaign, saying that she was using incorrect statistics to mislead the public.
Statistics provided by the DPP showed the price of second-grade bananas in Nantou County fell to NT$2 per 600g, but they cost farmers NT$16 per 600g to produce.
This was the second time since June that prices had fallen to such drastic lows, the DPP said.
Similar plunges have also been seen in the price of guavas in Changhua, longans in Greater Taichung and Nantou, persimmons in Taitung, as well as tangerines in Yunlin, the party said.
Ma has denied the price drops by citing wholesale and retail prices, rather than local prices, which is the price that actually relates to farmers’ income, Tsai said.
If elected in January, Tsai said, she would have the government agencies in charge of agricultural affairs monitor production and produce prices at all times, and help market the nation’s agricultural produce overseas.
She also proposed establishing a NT$100 billion agricultural development fund to modernize the sector and encourage younger people to work in the industry.
The Ma administration’s inability to resolve local economic woes has been a great concern, she added.
Tsai said the economic situation in October is typically better than previous months, but the industrial output slowed and the unemployment rates instead rose last month.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old