Yunlin County

Taiwan's agricultural base—Yunlin produces more rice, peanuts, and vegetables than any other county, feeding the island while remaining one of its poorest regions. The disconnect between agricultural productivity and economic prosperity mirrors global patterns where commodity producers capture less value than processors and distributors.

Heavy industry arrived with the Formosa Plastics Sixth Naphtha Cracker complex (Mailiao), one of Asia's largest petrochemical facilities. The plant transformed local employment but also generated pollution that agricultural communities continue to contest. Yunlin demonstrates the tension between industrial development and agricultural identity.

Aging farmers, youth out-migration, and declining rural populations threaten agricultural continuity. Smart farming technologies and agricultural cooperatives attempt to sustain production with shrinking labor forces. The county's fate previews challenges facing agricultural regions across Taiwan.

2026 trajectory: Agricultural automation investment increases as labor shortages intensify. Petrochemical facility faces pressure from carbon reduction mandates. The county must navigate simultaneous transitions in both primary economic sectors.