Heavy rain in late August has wrecked farmland across Pingtung County again, just as farmers were replanting after June's floods — bad news for growers already stretched thin.

• Crop damage covers about 170 hectares, with losses topping NT$8.8 million so far.
• Bananas took the worst hit, followed by wax apples and bitter melon.
• Farmers had only just replanted after June's heavy rain, so this is the second wipeout in one season.
• The agriculture ministry declared Pingtung a cash-relief disaster zone, with claims open until September 7.
• Local township offices are short-staffed from repeated disasters, so farmers are being urged to photograph damage with a government app to speed up claims.

Outlook: Payouts should start flowing in the coming weeks, but repeat extreme rain means Pingtung growers face another costly replanting cycle.