FARMERS SUFFER RM111 M LOSES DUE TO FLOODS

IN MALAYSIA RECENTLY farmers suffer RM111 million losses due to recent flood in late 2023 and early 2024. Reported that the damages covered 24,500ha of land involving some 12,000 farmers and breeders nationwide. The country's agriculture and agro-food sector suffered about RM111.95 million in losses following the recent monsoon season this year. Agriculture and Food Security reported that the damages covered 24,500ha of land involving some 12,000 farmers and breeders nationwide. It was informed that the recent flood was among the worst in the history after 2014 and many farmers and breeders have suffered huge losses. Also a total of 350 ministry staff were also affected and despite that, some of them have continued their duty as usual. However, to help the farmers the ministry has provided various types of assistance via its 'Prihatin Programmes' and this includes 'ready to cook and ready to eat' kits. More than 10,000 kits worth about RM1 million were provided for the purpose in Kota Bharu Kelantan during the launching ceremony. The government would ensure sufficient food supplies in the country in which the government did not face any problem in the food supply after the monsoon season. In case of the shortage of eggs is almost recovered when we started importing it recently while the price of chicken is also back to normal. In the blog I am ready to write in "Anim Agriculture Technology" the effect of floods in Malaysia inccured losses to farmers a reported by local media.

Bernama reported that 'Setiu paddy farmers in dire straits after floods wipe out crops' in which chief spokesman for the paddy farmers of Kampung Buluh Hilir and Kampung Buruk, Che Aziz Che Hami (centre) with Mohammad Khairul and Daud inspecting crops destroyed by the recent monsoon floods at Setiu, Terengganu. The recent monsoon floods destroyed the crops of 26 paddy farmers at two villages here with total losses amounting to approximately RM52,000. Chief spokesman for the paddy farmers of Kampung Buluh Hilir and Kampung Buruk, Che Aziz Che Hamid, said that the losses cover 80 acres out of the 300 acres of crops which could not be harvested in time. This is due to the earlier-than-expected rainfall which flooded the paddy fields, destroying the crops which had yet to be harvested in time. It has caused a lot of hardship for the affected farmers. He added that the farmers had anticipated the torrential rain, but could not finish harvesting the affected area before the floodwaters came.  Some of them had begun harvesting their crops since Nov 11 when their paddy had matured, but they did not manage to complete their job before the monsoon hit. Aziz blamed several other factors which have added to the farmers’ misery. Among them are pathways that were damaged by the floods; and the unsystematic mobilisation of harvesting machines which have disrupted the harvesting process. Additionally, the farmers faced difficulty in marketing their harvested crops owing to complicated procedures and inadequate buyers. This had an effect on sales and revenue for the farmers. Many of the affected farmers are desperately trying to harvest their flooded fields in the hope of salvaging some of their crops. The farmers are attempting to salvage whatever they can after putting in a lot of work planting the paddy. Some lucky farmers may be able to push their lower-quality harvest at lower prices on the market, rather than suffer total loses. They also fear the second wave of monsoon flooding, which may lead to heavier consequences and losses. Farmers hopes the authorities will step in to offer some form of compensation to reduce the financial burdens of the paddy farmers.

On news.nst.com reports 'More than nine hundred farmers apply for assistance following RM17 million in losses due to floods in Johore' are relevant to this article.  A total of 929 farmers in the state have applied for flood relief aid following losses of over RM17 million due the floods last March, the Johor state assembly was told today. A total of 929 farmers in the state have applied for flood relief aid following losses of over RM17 million due the floods. The allocation for the flood relief aid is under the ministry's programme of Agro-Food Project Redevelopment Programme (PPSPA) about the issue on 704 flood relief applications involving the cultivation of crops, vegetables, fruits, honey bees, mushrooms and Agro-Based Industries (IAT) and losses were estimated at RM10.3 million. Based on the applications, Segamat suffered the highest amount of losses at RM2.363 million, followed by Tangkak RM2.156 million; as Batu Pahat incurred losses of RM1.844 million. All these applications have been raised during the state-level Disaster Technical Committee Meeting in April for confirmation and were then referred for state and federal resource allocations. A total of 60 operators in the fishery sector were affected by the floods involving losses of about RM5.234 million. The Johor state assembly sitting was adjourned until a date to be determined.  Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(January 2024).