Fruit prices in this province "fall in an avalanche"! "How do farmers live"...

　　The weather is getting warmer, but the cold winter for farmers in Taiwan does not seem to be over.

According to Taiwan's "United Daily News", since the ban on imports to the mainland in September 2021, the production and sales of nearly 20,000 tons of pineapple custard apples in Taitung every year have become a challenge, and the price is facing an "avalanche drop". 1 catty is equal to 600 grams) at 30 yuan (NTD, the same below), which will drop to 12 yuan in 2023, which is "very different" from the 80 yuan per catty sold to the mainland in the past.

　　Faced with such a situation, some farmers in Taitung lamented that the price of fruit is low, and "the wages are not enough." It is estimated that there are still thousands of tons of pineapples that cannot be sold, and the situation is anxious.

Video: The price of pineapple custard plums plummeted in Taiwan, and farmers lamented that they could not earn back their wages.

It is difficult to make up for the huge gap that cannot be sold to the mainland

　　For a long time, the mainland has been Taiwan's main export market for agricultural products. However, cross-strait relations have deteriorated in recent years. Taiwan's main agricultural and fishery products have been suspended from importing to the mainland due to problems such as insect pests, residual harmful substances, and product registration. Various fruits, fish, etc. It is sold to the mainland, which greatly affects the agricultural trade.

　　In 2022, the value of Taiwan's agricultural exports to the mainland will drop sharply by nearly 40% (39.5%).

Although the "Agricultural Commission" of the Taiwan authorities used subsidies and other means to develop new markets, the effect was quite limited and could not make up for the huge drop in the mainland market. Last year, Taiwan's agricultural trade deficit hit a record high of more than 15.1 billion U.S. dollars.

Agricultural products are unsalable and prices have fallen, and farmers and fishermen are miserable.

　　Some farmers said: "Don't talk about pesticide money at all, even wages are gone." Some farmers said that the average price was "too miserable" and sighed "how do farmers live?"

What is the solution to the farmers' plight?

　　Facing the plight of farmers in Taitung, Wu Xiuhua, a member of the Taitung County Council of the Chinese Kuomintang Party, believes that the most effective way to solve the plight of farmers is to restart the mainland market. Only by opening up the mainland market is a pragmatic and long-term solution.

There are also many voices on the island who support this.

　　However, the DPP authorities, on the other hand, are still criticizing the Chinese Kuomintang for "not speaking up for Taiwan" when Taiwanese farmers are facing difficulties, and continue to maliciously operate "anti-China protection Taiwan" to make farmers victims.

　　Since 2020, the import of pineapple, lotus mist and other fruits sold from Taiwan to the mainland has been suspended by the mainland due to repeated inspections of pests, and the grouper imported from Taiwan to the mainland has also been detected for malachite green, crystal violet, etc. The import of banned drugs was stopped by the mainland.

The mainland's move is to protect the health and safety of the mainland people, which is reasonable, but the Taiwan authorities "politicize" the economic issues between the two sides of the strait, saying that "the mainland suppresses Taiwan" and "the mainland violates trade rules."

　　Regarding the plight of Taiwanese farmers, the mainland has expressed goodwill many times.

Recently, with the assistance of the mainland, 63 Taiwanese food companies such as Jinmen Distillery have registered or updated their registration information, and their products have resumed sales to the mainland market.

　　Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on February 13 that the mainland has always attached great importance to the interests and well-being of farmers and fishermen in Taiwan.

She said that over the years, we have adhered to the concept of "one family across the Taiwan Strait", adopted measures to alleviate the difficulties of unsalable production of Taiwan's agricultural and fishery products, and assisted in expanding the mainland market. The grassroots people in Taiwan have gained tangible benefits.

We are willing to work together with relevant parties on the island to help resume imports of Taiwan's agricultural and fishery products to the mainland.

　　Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, met in Beijing on the 15th with Huang Yicheng, chairman of the Taiwan Cross-Strait Agriculture and Fisheries Exchange Development Investment Association, and his party.

Song Tao expressed that it is the common aspiration of compatriots on both sides of the strait to seek peace, development, exchanges and cooperation.

We actively promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, deepen cross-strait integration and development, improve systems and policies to improve the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, and promote the great cause of the reunification of the motherland.

Supporting Taiwan's farmers and fishermen to share the development opportunities of the mainland is in the common interests of compatriots on both sides of the strait.

The mainland attaches great importance to the calls of Taiwanese farmers and fishermen to resume the import of Taiwan's agricultural and fishery products to the mainland, and will coordinate with relevant departments to actively resolve them under the premise of meeting inspection and quarantine standards.

　　The mainland has always cared about the well-being of the Taiwanese people.

How to solve the plight of farmers in Taiwan?

Please consider the DPP authorities from the perspective of the interests of Taiwanese farmers, stop evading responsibility, and accept the goodwill released by the mainland.

　　In the face of lax control over the quality of agricultural product exports, the DPP authorities should think about how to review and remedy and help Taiwanese farmers get out of the predicament, instead of taking the opportunity to gain political self-interest and let innocent farmers in Taiwan suffer from "independence".

　　Reporter You Jin