Taitung Agricultural Irrigation Facility Subsidies Face Shortage, Legislators Secure Doubled Funding

(CNA, reporter Lu Taichen, Taitung County, June 18) Subsidies for agricultural irrigation facilities in Taitung are experiencing a shortage, with applications submitted this year often not approved until next year. Following the efforts of Democratic Progressive Party legislators Chen Ying and Chuang Jui-hsiung to increase funding, the Ministry of Agriculture has agreed to raise the budget from the original NT$19 million to NT$37 million.

Chen Ying told CNA today that irrigation facilities can simulate natural rainfall, supplying water evenly to crop growth areas. Compared to traditional irrigation methods, they save more water, improve irrigation efficiency, and also have advantages such as regulating soil temperature and humidity, integrating liquid fertilizer application, and being suitable for slopes. They are of great benefit to crops such as fruits, vegetables, and tea. Among these, custard apple farmers benefit the most, followed by farmers growing ginger, avocado, mango, and other economic crops.

Chen Ying said that many Taitung farmers have reported to her and her office that the subsidies have long been in a situation of "more monks than rice," and applications submitted in the past often had to wait until the following year to have a chance to receive subsidies.

Chen Ying stated that after receiving the complaints, she requested the Ministry of Agriculture to inventory the funds needed for cases pending approval last year and to assess the demand for new applications this year, in order to satisfy all applications for this year at once. She expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture for its assistance in increasing the original NT$19 million subsidy by an additional NT$18 million, bringing the total to NT$37 million, allowing farmers to quickly receive assistance in establishing irrigation facilities.

Chuang Jui-hsiung said that he has also received similar feedback from many farmers. The challenges of extreme weather do not wait, and government construction resources must become a timely rain for farmers. Precision irrigation systems are crucial for high-value crops like Taitung's custard apples. Strengthening the resilience of Taiwan's agriculture must be precisely implemented in the most basic hardware support. In the future, he and Chen Ying will continue to closely monitor the progress of various agricultural upgrade projects and serve as the most solid backing for farmers nationwide.

Chiu Huan-sen, vice chairman of the Chishang Township Representative Council and an advisory committee member of the Taitung Chishang Station of the Water Resources Agency, said that doubling the subsidy funding will greatly help farmers. In the past, due to limited funds, farmers often had to queue up to apply for subsidies, or even could not receive them in time; now that the funds have doubled, not only will the application process be smoother, but the approval speed can also be accelerated, allowing more farmers to obtain the necessary equipment and resources earlier, which will greatly help improve agricultural production efficiency. (Editor: Yang Shengru) 0618

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