TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Greenpeace (綠色和平) revealed on Tuesday (Aug. 13) that extreme weather events have significantly influenced fruit and vegetable prices in recent years. The report indicates that products like persimmons, corn, green onions, guavas, and onions have all experienced price increases over the past three years due to high temperatures, heavy rain, and drought.
According to wholesale prices from the Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co., Ltd (TAPMC, 北農), vegetable prices have risen from an average of NT$16.7 per kilogram in 2003 to NT$34.5 per kilogram in 2023. Fruit prices have also surged from NT$22.4 per kilogram to NT$51.3 per kilogram over the same period.
In the online survey conducted from July 3 to 20, gathering 1,074 responses, Greenpeace found that over 90% of respondents felt the impact of rising prices and cited extreme weather events as a primary cause of resource shortages. Additionally, more than 90% expressed concerns that extreme weather would continue to drive prices up in the future.
The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA, 農業部) acknowledged the ongoing efforts in climate adaptation and net-zero initiatives but emphasized that market mechanisms govern supply and demand, stating that society cannot expect agricultural products to always be low-priced, and vegetable prices cannot remain perpetually low.
Greenpeace stressed that extreme weather leads to crop losses, driving up food prices. The organization recommended that the government quickly implement anti-inflation climate policies and establish a climate inflation compensation system to mitigate these impacts.
Fang Chun-wei (方君維), Greenpeace's Climate and Energy Campaigner, stressed the phenomenon of climate inflation will worsen in the future. The Climate Change Committee (氣候變遷對策委員會) must promptly coordinate cross-departmental efforts in the environment, economy, agriculture, and finance to propose effective climate-energy policies to stabilize prices and address climate inflation.