LOCAL TOBACCO INDUSTRY BECOMES HISTORY FROM MARCH|契作菸葉3月終止 斗六菸田將走入歷史

Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation will stop buying the tobacco crop from farmers in March. Recently in Yunlin's City, only one tobacco field was harvested. Farmers are regretful at seeing this old industry disappear for ever. Yunlin County Government said it would help farmers to transform into other areas of agriculture. This field of tobacco looks to be flourishing, but in the future, the sight will disappear from Yunlin. This tobacco field in Douliu City's Shisan Borough is being harvested for the last time because the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation will end its contract with farmers in March and the industry will disappear into history. ==CHUANG CHIEH-WU, tobacco farmer== We usually harvest between January 1st and the Lunar New Year. However, sometimes we will harvest again after the Lunar New Year. Since the quantity is limited, we will most likely finish harvesting before the Lunar New Year. Tobacco has been planted in Taiwan for more than 70 years. Since 1946, the Government implemented a monopoly on the Taiwan tobacco industry, with the Tobacco Bureau buying up all the tobacco. Farmers had to be qualified to grow tobacco. Kaohsiung's Meinong tobacco fields accounted for a quarter of Taiwan's tobacco crop and Chiayi, Yunlin and other places also had a thriving industry. Now the industry has declined, the local government will help farmers to transition. ==CHANG HUANG-CHEN, Yunlin County Deputy Magistrate== When we assist farmers transitioning their land to other crop production, they can't expect a full harvest like they used to. However, we still need to try and provide the care and reassurance for the ones who have dedicated their whole life to this industry. 56-year-old tobacco farmer Zhuang Jie-wu said his family grew tobacco since his grandfather's day. At that time, the government strictly controlled tobacco and exported the best quality to Japan, leaving the remainder for Taiwan's products. He was regretful that the contract for tobacco was being stopped, but to earn a living, he will learn to grow green peppers, pumpkins and other crops. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 台灣菸酒公司三月份終止與菸農的契作菸葉，未來台灣的菸葉產業即將走入歷史，在雲林斗六菸田，農民忙著採收菸葉，也帶著不捨的心情，縣府將協助菸葉農民轉型，種植其他經濟農作。 一整片的菸葉田園，從高處往下看相當壯觀，但未來這樣的場景在雲林可能看不到了，位在雲林斗六市十三里這片菸葉田，農民正在進行最後採收，因為台灣菸酒公司三月份要終止與菸葉農契作，種植菸葉這項產業將走入歷史。 ==雲林菸田農民 莊捷武== （採收）都是元旦後 到過年前 有時候比較慢的 農曆過年後再採收一次 但因為現在量真的很少 所以我們大部份 過年前就會採收完畢 菸葉在台灣種植超過70年，政府在民國35年實施台灣菸草專賣規則，由公賣局向菸農收購菸葉，而且菸農必須取得資格才能種植，以高雄美濃菸田占全台四分之一規模最大，還有嘉義、雲林等地，但現在產業沒落，地方政府則要協助農民轉型。 ==雲林菸田農民 莊捷武== 一次的話 一間菸樓(處理一次量) 約三分地 ==雲林縣副縣長 張皇珍== 在協助轉作其他經濟作物收益 也沒辦法像過去收成那麼的好 不過我們還是必須盡一點心力 對於這一生當中 為這樣產業在努力的人 也必須給他們適當關懷與肯定 五十六歲的種菸葉農民莊捷武表示，他們家從他阿公時代就是種菸葉，當時政府嚴格管制菸葉，把品質最好的菸葉外銷日本，剩下才留在台灣做國產菸，未來不再契作菸葉心情當然會不捨，但為了生活也將學習改種青椒、南瓜等作物。 記者 王威雄 雲林報導