Radio Taiwan Internatinal
Date: 21 August, 2019
By: John Van Trieste

Snails and other pests are causing damage to Taiwanese fruit orchards, encouraged by a week of heavy rain.[/caption] Heavy rains have hammered large parts of Taiwan in recent days, and fruit farmers are hurting as a result.

Across central and southern Taiwan, the past week has brought torrential downpours and flooding. Some of the most extensive damage has been to fruit orchards, as the wet weather creates the perfect conditions for pests and diseases. Farmers in some areas say that much of their fruit is now spoiled.

In Changhua County, heavy rain has brought snails into dragon fruit orchards. At one award-winning local orchard that does not use pesticides, workers have recently collected at least three full buckets of snails each day. However, the snails are destroying the dragon fruit faster than they can be caught, and at least 30% of the orchard’s fruit has now been ruined- this during the peak season for dragon fruit.    [FULL  STORY]