PETALING JAYA (ANN/THE STAR) – Kelantan is facing a severe crisis in paddy yield due to its most severe drought in 30 years.
The state is expected to see a reduction of 40,000 tonnes of paddy in the first season, with losses estimated at MYR58 million. This decline will impact national rice production by 10 percent this season.
Kelantan, the second largest rice producer in Malaysia after Kedah, has been significantly affected by the extreme drought.
“The extreme drought, unprecedented in the past three decades, has caused the water level in Sungai Kelantan to drop to its lowest level recently, reaching just 2.5 metre (m),” said Mohd Izzat Mohd Zubir, the special officer to the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (Kada) chairman.
He said the situation has affected the operation of the Kemubu 2 pump, with the water level too low for pumping.
“We need the level to rise to at least 3.5m. We must start planting by July 28 otherwise we will incur losses,” he told The Star.
Kelantan’s prolonged dry spell since the end of January led to three days of cloud seeding from June 21.
The operation was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier last week.
He said he approved MYR5 million from the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund for the operation.
Mohd Izzat said over half of paddy fields in Kelantan has yet to start planting, leading to a potential yield reduction of up to 30 per cent this season.
He said the watering schedule this season has not started, with farmers in danger of missing the paddy planting season if their farms could not be irrigated. Kada, he said, has already been monitoring the water level since June 1.
“We are requesting the Federal Government to urgently approve MYR20 million to supply high-powered pumps at the Kemubu pump station to enable the drawing of water from deep below the river,” he said.
“The installation of the pumps will take about three to five months. This is a governmental effort.”
Mohd Izzat said Kelantan’s losses in the first season (November to June) has affected 3,890 out of 7,721 registered farmers, particularly in the northern and southern parts of Kota Baru who rely on the Kemubu pump station.
In March, Kada chairman Muhammad Hussin was quoted as saying that the agency was constructing tube wells at a cost of MYR500,000 with funds from the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.
However, he said the project has been challenging due to a lack of accessible water sources in some areas, adding that the state also lacked the workforce to see it through.
Agriculture and Food Security Ministry’s padi industry development division director-general Datuk Azman Mahmood said the prolonged drought and adverse weather has impacted farmers’ incomes and rice production.
“The usual harvest reaches 90,000 metric tonnes, but this season it is only 50,000 metric tonnes,” he said when contacted.
He said the ministry has taken several steps to ensure the welfare of farmers as well as stabilise paddy production.
Azman said farmers will receive government assistance of MYR846 from the Padi Disaster Fund for the first 3ha if their crops are destroyed by drought for up to 71 days.
“Those facing crop damage exceeding 71 days will receive MYR1,800 for the first 3ha under the same fund,” he said.
He said the government will introduce a padi crop insurance scheme managed by AgroBank, with higher and faster compensation to ease farmers’ losses in the future.
On Thursday, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu assured that rice supply is stable to meet the needs of Malaysians.
He said rice supply was stable throughout the recent Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration period.
“But we are constantly monitoring. If there is a shortage, we will immediately act,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
