Long-term misuse of chemical fertilizers not only makes the soil extremely acidic, it also shortens a fruit tree's lifespan because it lowers its ability to resist disease. (Citrus trees have an average lifespan of around 30 years, but the average lifespan of the orange trees in Chungliao is only 13 to 14 years.)
馮小非說，長期濫用化肥，不僅使土壤嚴重酸化，也使果樹對疫病的抵抗力變差，壽命變短（柑橘類應可活 30 年，中寮柳丁樹平均壽命只有 13-14 年）。