President Tsai pledges support for rain-hit farmers

2021/08/11

President Tsai Ing-wen pledged Aug. 9 to support farmers in areas affected by recent heavy rainfall, underscoring the government’s commitment to accelerating the provision of relief funds to eligible individuals.
 
Agricultural losses may well increase in the days ahead, Tsai said, adding that she has instructed the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture to make assisting affected farmers a top priority.
 
Tsai made the remarks during a visit to areas hit with flooding in Chiayi and Yunlin Counties, southern and western Taiwan.
 
According to Tsai, the government will leave no stone unturned as it mobilizes all agencies and resources to address the challenges posed by extreme weather and climate change. It will focus on fast-tracking water supply infrastructure programs to ensure major crop production areas will not be affected by future floods, she added.
 
The president also took the opportunity to express her gratitude for the seamless collaboration efforts between the central and local governments, which have helped the decision-making process and enabled rapid implementation of disaster response measures that will ensure farmers’ lives can return to normal as soon as possible.
 
Executive Yuan statistics reveal that estimated crop damage from the flooding now stands at more than US$10 million. Eligible individuals can submit applications for relief funds from August 10 to 19.


Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)