Farmers Suffer Huge Losses in Huaihe River Flooding

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, July 23, 2003

Farmers Suffer Huge Losses in Huaihe River Flooding

Farmers along the lower reaches of the Huaihe River, in east China's Jiangsu Province, are counting the cost of the worst summer flooding in the last 50 years earlier this month.

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Farmers along the lower reaches of the Huaihe River, in east China's Jiangsu Province, are counting the cost of the worst summer flooding in the last 50 years earlier this month.

About 730,000 people in Jiangsu have so far been evacuated to evade the floods or to make way for flood diversions. For most, their arduous spring farming efforts have been in vain.

Xu Baotian, an aquatic farmer living at the junction of the Huaihe River and the swollen Hongze Lake, saw his new investment of 260,000 yuan (31,325 US dollars) -- including 160,000 yuan (19,277 US dollars) in loans and 100,000 yuan (12,048 US dollars) in assets -- totally vanished when his 26.7 hectares of contracted aquatic breeding water area were severely hit by torrential floodwater.

Xu's fellow Laozishan villagers also suffered. With a total of 3,333 hectares of aquatic breeding water areas, most villagers raised crabs to make a living. Believing that the plentiful rainfall this spring could bring an aquatic harvest this year, thevillagers borrowed a total of 25 million yuan (three million US dollars) from banks to intensify production. Now however, they have lost all hope of any economic returns.

Crop farmers seem slightly luckier as their loan debts are lower, but they still face grave tests as their houses, their mostvaluable assets, and their would-be harvests were both inundated.

To alleviate the economic losses of farmers, the provincial government of Jiangsu has earmarked 150 million yuan (18 million US dollars) as a rescue fund. Other funds and materials from the central government and international charities are also arriving.

"Although governments at all levels have offered great help, weshould also depend on ourselves," Xu said.

Many young farmers from the flood-stricken areas have decided to try their fortunes in the cities of Suzhou and Wuxi, hundreds of kilometers from their hometowns.

As both cities are located in the affluent Yangtze River delta,a skilled worker there could earn more than 1,000 yuan (120 US dollars) a month.

Meanwhile aquatic farmers are already resuming operations. "I can still make a living by fishing even today," said Song Dehua, alocal farmer.

"Floodwater is a kind of precious resource. For aquatic farmers,a flooding river is always better than a dry river," said Sun Chengying, an official in Laoshanzi village.

Local aquatic farmers are making full preparation to resume their work when the floodwater recedes. Since investing 1,000 yuanin breeding crabs could generate 1,000 yuan worth of net profit, the local farmers have no reason to be overly pessimistic.

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