TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Sisigu Township Mayor Chou Ying-chieh (周英傑) on Thursday petitioned the government to stop allowing watermelon farmers to cultivate crops on dried riverbeds once the current leases expire.
Fangshan Creek and Fenggang Creek in Pingtung are among the few regions able to produce watermelons in winter, per Liberty Times. Township authorities have permitted farmers to plant watermelons during the dry season, but the practice has long caused friction with residents.
Paiwan locals say fertilizers used in the fields create intense odors and attract large swarms of flies, per UDN. They said the tribal banquet industry is especially affected because flies gather around outdoor events.
Fonglin Village Chief Sung Ming-de (宋銘德) questioned why residents must tolerate declining living conditions. Danlu Village Chief Kao Chi-ming (高基銘) added that farmers have built new roads directly on the riverbed without consulting local communities.
Chou said locals want the government to stop renewing rental permits after they expire in 2027 and to suspend permits for farmers who break existing rules before then, per CNA. He also urged farmers to remove pipes, nets, and other equipment to help restore the riverbed.
Pingtung independent County Councilor Mulaneng Paliuliu (李紀財) questioned why the county government did not seek consent from local Indigenous groups as required under the Indigenous Peoples Basic Law. He said parts of the cultivated land lie within traditional territories, which Paiwan residents have accessed for more than 200 years.
Pingtung County Government Department of Indigenous Peoples chief Chen Mei-ling (陳美鈴) said the law applies only after the Council of Indigenous Peoples officially recognizes the land as traditional territory. She added that some areas used for watermelon farming have no clearly designated supervising authority, and the government must determine who is responsible for managing farming.
After Fenggang Creek shifted course near Dali Village, about 70 hectares of new accretion land formed without an assigned managing agency, per Liberty Times. The land has been rented to watermelon farmers since 2009, even though no government body has been appointed to oversee it.
Pingtung County Department of Water Resources noted that raw chicken manure, a major source of residents’ complaints, has been banned since 2010. The county said any farmers found breaking existing laws could lose their permits.
Officials added that once the permits expire in 2027, the government will reassess whether the land lease program should continue.
