Tea leaf prices fall in Mingjian, growers and local government discuss subsidies

According to a CNA report on October 5, the purchase price of tea leaves in Mingjian Township, Nantou County, has fallen to a recent low, while production and material costs keep rising, leaving tea farmers and the whole supply chain under pressure.

Nantou County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua said she had passed farmers' concerns on to the Ministry of Agriculture and asked the central government to come up with concrete measures. She said the ministry had earlier indicated that subsidies would go partly to farmers and partly to tea merchants. She also asked legislators to help with communication with the ministries, and said the county would cooperate on any subsidies and study marketing and purchasing together with the Mingjian Farmers' Association. She also pointed out that sales to buyers in mainland China have declined, and the county is developing channels in other cities.

Another candidate for county magistrate, Wen Shih-cheng, argued for higher subsidies, calling for the Agricultural and Food Agency to raise the subsidy per catty to NT$3, roughly NT$5 per kilogram. He said he and the Mingjian township mayor had raised the matter with central government officials several times.

This news made me think that when we drink tea, we see the tea liquor and the aroma, but behind them are farmers' worries about price swings. Whatever the final subsidy looks like, I hope tea farmers can earn a reasonable income, so that Taiwanese tea can keep its quality.

Source: CNA