Summer is not the season for winter melons. However, many winter melon farmers face a even more severe crop shortage than usual this year, largely due to the heavy torrential rain last week. The price for winter melons has increased by nearly 70% compared with the corresponding period of last year.

Farmers pack winter melons into trucks and transport them to the local produce market.

Winter melons are not currently in season, and supplies have been decimated by a combination of high temperatures, which cause the vegetable to grow at a much slower rate, and last week's torrential rains.

Winter melon prices have traditionally been stable from year to year, but prices recently rose to 25 NT per kilogram, which is 10 NT per kilogram more than the same period last year.

Local wholesale prices usually fall around 11 to 12 NT per kilogram, and 15 NT per kilogram is considered high.

According to farmers, a price of 25 NT per kilogram for winter melons is extremely rare.