This is typical of the agricultural cycle in Taiwan: Sometimes crops are sold at high prices; other times, overproduction means they are left abandoned in the fields. Year after year, the cycle repeats, not only with cabbage, but also with fruit like bananas, pineapples and guava. Apart from a high levels of waste in crops, the nation’s agriculture also faces pressure from competition. Research has found that agricultural waste contains as many — and sometimes more — nutrients than what people consume. Yet, the shell contains so many nutrients that traditional Chinese medicine practitioners suggest boiling it to make broth.

Source: Taipei Times October 12, 2019 15:56 UTC