What about durian? Is that grown on the island or imported? And if it’s grown here, where do they grow it, because I’ve neither seen it (or smelt it) save at retail outlets, in my travels around Taiwan.
Durians are imported. That’s why they are expensive, so buy them in hypermarts, where they don’t cheat you.
A lot of apples are grown around Lishan on the central cross-island highway. Travel that road in March / April and the hills are white with blossom. Very pretty. But the apples when they ripen are so expensive (even bought direct from the farmers) that they might as well have been flown in. Why is that?
I’m always saddened by the destruction wreaked on the environment around Lishan by those fruit growers. The tin shacks that dot the hillsides among the orchards make it just about as ugly and depressing a sight as can be imagined – the horrors of Taiwan’s urban sprawl transplanted into the heart of its majestic central mountains. I’d rather buy imported fruit, even if it cost twice as much, than support such environmental rapine. And as the Lishan farmers charge such exorbitant prices for their produce, I can’t imagine why anyone would ever want to buy it.
Omni wrote[quote]I’m always saddened by the destruction wreaked on the environment around Lishan by those fruit growers. The tin shacks that dot the hillsides among the orchards make it just about as ugly and depressing a sight as can be imagined – the horrors of Taiwan’s urban sprawl transplanted into the heart of its majestic central mountains[/quote]
Sadly, so true. Taiwan’s greatest geographical asset is its high mountain areas. Everything above 1,800 metres should be protected. Unfortunately, agriculture and architecture in the mountains (and along the East Coast) is a disaster. It’s almost as people have sat down to come up with the ugliest buildings to spoil the beautiful natural environment. Concrete boxes, iron shacks, plastic!!! The locals wear blinkers.
C’mon, the local fruit farmers are not swimming in cash I’m sure and live in the second most densely populated country in the world, most of which is uninhabitable mountains. Yes protect the environment, knock down the shacks or whatever but don’t put devil horns on these guys, their behavior is not surprising.