Storm causes estimated NT$178 million in agricultural losses in Taiwan

Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) Extremely heavy rain from a tropical depression and seasonal winds is causing heavy damage to Taiwan's agricultural sector, according to the Council of Agriculture (COA). As of Saturday evening, farmers across Taiwan had sustained crop and livestock losses and equipment damage of more than NT$178 million (US$6.4 million) because of the heavy rainfall, the COA estimated, with 90 percent of the losses seen in central and southern Taiwan. Yunlin County has been hit the hardest so far, with at least NT$51.8 million in losses, COA data showed. Pingtung County was next with estimated losses of NT$37.2 million, while Tainan, Chiayi County and Kaohsiung have each reported losses of more than NT$17 million, the data showed. The COA warned that the losses are likely to mount in the coming days, because the precipitation has been forecast to continue well into the next week. In view of the damage to farmland, COA chief Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) said in a Facebook post ...