TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hualien County Government said Thursday that avocado and mango farms in the area have sustained severe climate-related damage, making them eligible for disaster relief grants.
Avocado farms in Ruisui Township, Fonglin Town, and Soufeng Township, along with mango farms in Fonglin, reported yield losses of approximately 20% to 25%, per CNA. Officials confirmed the damage exceeds the threshold for compensation and have submitted requests for aid to the central government.
Both fruits continue to suffer from the lingering effects of last year’s typhoons and abnormal climate conditions earlier in the year. While researchers may develop more cold-resistant avocado varieties, mangoes, being subtropical fruits, lack similar adaptive options.
Pingtung County Wandan Farmers’ Association official Chang Chih-lieh (張枝烈) highlighted on April 22 the ongoing impact of typhoon-damaged avocado trees, per News&Market. He noted that defoliation and broken branches have reduced tree vitality, worsened by erratic weather.
Gaoshu Farmers’ Association official Hung Ming-tsung (洪銘聰) said growers had opted for early-harvest avocado varieties to avoid market overlap with Tainan producers. However, they were severely affected by this year’s weather patterns. Hung called on agricultural agencies to promote climate adaptation techniques and expand avocado insurance programs.
Wandan Farmers’ Association official Wu Tsan-wang (吳讚旺) urged farmers not to harvest prematurely despite high prices. One local farmer noted the NT$80,000 (US$2,644) available per 970 square meters in compensation would at least offset costs for pesticides and fertilizer.
Mango farmers face similar struggles. On April 21, a Taitung City official surnamed Liu (劉) reported significantly reduced fruit setting rates and a high incidence of seedless, undersized mangoes with little commercial value, per News&Market.
In Kaohsiung City's Maolin District, official Su Chang-ping (蘇昌屏) estimated that 70% to 80% of mango farmers may apply for financial assistance due to poor yields.
Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station official Chiang Shu-wen (江淑雯) encouraged mango farmers to grow a mix of varieties to stagger fruiting times and avoid cold snaps. She also suggested grafting different species to shorten the time required for new trees to reach full productivity.
Agricultural Finance Agency official Chou Miao-fang (周妙芳) noted that although mango insurance is available through both national and regional programs, coverage remains critically low, as only about 0.4% of mango-growing land is insured.
