Government Plan Affects Hundreds of Strawberry Farmers in Miaoli

A government plan to convert riverside farmland from agricultural to river zones could impact hundreds of strawberry farmers in western Taiwan.

Transcript

00:00People in Taiwan call Dahu Township in Miaoli a strawberry kingdom.

00:07The area in the country's west produces most of its strawberries,

00:11but despite the arrival of the winter strawberry season,

00:14farmers here are worried about their future.

00:17That's after the government announced plans to move ahead with a project

00:21to convert waterfront farmland from agricultural to river zones,

00:25a move which would bite into farmers' growing space.

00:45Many locals also say they're worried about the impact rezoning will have on tourism,

00:49as the area is a popular destination for strawberry pickers.

00:56Especially from Fanyun City to Nanhu West,

00:59the area is a popular tourist destination.

01:03The government says the plan has been in the works since 1996

01:07and was designed with flood control and safety in mind.

01:26The government says it will continue to consider public opinion

01:31while reviewing its rezoning plans

01:34to find a way to prevent flooding, minimize the impact on farmers

01:38and protect Taiwan's strawberry kingdom.

01:41Ysan Pan and Zany Qi for Taiwan Plus.