In the coastal areas of Yunlin County’s Dongshi, Sihhu and Taisi townships, white radishes have reached harvest stage. Last year, quite a lot of farmers turned to growing white radishes, because the year before they had seen their other crops become severely damaged by diseases and insects. Yet last year’s weather conditions were surprisingly ideal for white radishes. The result was a crop surplus and a subsequent slump in radish prices, which fell to between NT$2 and NT$3 per kilogram.
This year, white radish prices have increased between sixfold to sevenfold, rising to NT$17 per kilogram. Having lost a great deal of money growing white radishes last year, many farmers switched to a different crop this year. Nonetheless, just when they least expected it, white radish prices have come back, and the chance for making profit has again slipped away.
White radish growers say that although the price has risen, this year’s volume is only half of last year’s. Due to diseases, insect damage and long periods of rain, rotten and chapped white radish can be found everywhere in the radish fields. The profit from radishes is thus still lower than expected.
Photo: Cheng Hsu-kai, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者鄭旭凱
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY Yu-an Tu)
雲林縣東勢、四湖、台西等海線地區正值白蘿蔔採收期。前年因其他作物病蟲害嚴重，不少農民轉而種植較易照顧的白蘿蔔。不料去年因氣候適當，白蘿蔔產量過剩，價格暴跌，每公斤只有二到三元。
今年白蘿蔔價格狂飆六、七倍，漲到每公斤十七元。不少農民在去年種植白蘿蔔慘賠後轉種其他作物，沒想到「抓龜走鱉」，還是沒賺到。
Photo: Cheng Hsu-kai, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者鄭旭凱
菜農表示，白蘿蔔價格雖然大漲，但今年產量只有去年的一半。因病蟲害、連日下雨等因素，田間到處可見腐爛或龜裂的白蘿蔔，利潤並不如想像中高。
(自由時報記者鄭旭凱)
Even as he grows older, Microsoft founder Bill Gates still fondly remembers the catalytic computer code he wrote 50 years ago that opened up a new frontier in technology. Although the code that Gates printed out on a teletype machine may look crude compared to what’s powering today’s artificial intelligence platforms, it played a critical role in creating Microsoft in April 1975 — a golden anniversary that the Redmond, Washington, company celebrated on April 4. Gates, 69, set the stage for that jubilee with a blog post reminiscing on how he and his old high school friend — the late Paul Allen
Australia’s strict immigration policies have long been criticized, particularly for how they treat people with disabilities. Having been residents of Australia for years, Scottish Laura Currie and her Italian partner, Dante Vendittelli, recently experienced the impact of these immigration policies. Their son Luca, born in Australia and diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, became the reason their residency application was denied due to the anticipated high healthcare costs. Had Luca been healthy, there would have been no objections to their permanent residency. This case not only highlights discrimination against disabled individuals, but also raises questions about fairness and inclusion within Australia’s immigration
A: After holding nine concerts in Kaohsiung and Taipei recently, “God of Songs” Jacky Cheung will stage three extra shows later this week. B: They’re compensation for the three shows he postponed last year due to illness. A: He also canceled three more shows in Guangzhou last month. His health is worrisome. B: When touring Guangzhou, he dedicated his hit “She Is Far Away” to late singer Khalil Fong. That’s so touching. A: Online music platform KKBOX has also launched a campaign to pay tribute to Fong. I can’t believe he died so young: he was only 41. A:
A: After “God of Songs” Jacky Cheung sang for late singer Khalil Fong recently, music streaming service KKBOX also paid tribute to Fong by releasing his greatest hits online. B: The 20th KKBOX Music Awards ceremony is taking place at the K-Arena in Kaohsiung tomorrow. Fong performed at the ceremonies in the past. A: Who are the performers this year? B: The performers include Taiwanese groups 911, Wolf(s), Ozone, Singaporean pop diva Tanya Chua, and K-pop group Super Junior. A: South Korean stars actually took four spots among KKBOX’s 2024 Top 10 singles, showing that K-pop is still
RSS