Miaoli chrysanthemum growers are getting government payouts after heavy rain quietly killed off much of this year's crop — bad news for the harvest, but some relief for farmers' wallets.

• Heavy rain in early April and then Typhoon Bawi flooded the fields and damaged the plants' roots.
• The plants did not die right away — they slowly yellowed, wilted and died off after the rain, so the damage only showed up later.
• The farm agency is paying NT$100,000 per hectare across the county, and Miaoli's government is adding NT$20,000 per hectare on top.
• Tongluo Township is the main growing area, with about 70 hectares of the county's roughly 100 hectares planted.

Outlook: Payment details are due once the aid program is formally announced, and this season's chrysanthemum harvest is likely to come in well below normal.