"The soil is too alkaline to grow crops," says Huang Chien-tsai, the Fupao Village mayor. The soil has become so alkaline that even sesbania, which is often used to increase fertility in inhospitable sites, won't grow there. As a result, farmers cannot obtain government subsidies for crop rotation. Tens of hectares of land have simply been deserted.
「土地太鹹了，不能耕種，」福寶村村長黃建財指著大片廢耕田地說，土壤鹹到連田菁都長不出來，也不能領休耕補助，數十公頃的土地只好任其荒廢。