TARO PRICE HIKE HURT RELATED BUSINESSES IN CHIASHIEN

Taro production has dropped by 50% this year due to the unusual weather conditions, causing its price to surge. And it has become a heavy burden for taro product manufacturers in Kaohsiung's Chiashien area.

Three of these six freshly-picked taros are seriously damaged.

Due to abnormal weather conditions, this year's taro harvest has dropped to half of the harvest last year, causing a shortage in taro supply and a price surge in the market.

The price has doubled to 15 NT dollars per catty. Pingtung County is the major area of taro production, which around 650 hectares of taro fields, which is 25 % of Taiwan's total taro fields.

However, the price increase in Pingtung County has influenced the price of taro products in Kaohsiung County's Chiahsien area, which depends on Pingtung County's Kaoshu Township for 80% of its raw material. Despite soaring costs, local businesses are afraid to raise prices for the time being.

According to the Chiahsien residents, the area's tourism industry has been weak since Typhoon Morakot hit in 2009. Many local residents have been out of work for a year.

With the construction of the Chiahsien Bridge, the local tourism industry has begun showing signs of recovery.

However, the rising taro prices have brought another challenge to the local taro business.

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