RM29m loss for flood-hit Sabah rice bowl

KOTA BELUD: Sabah’s “rice bowl” is looking at RM29 million in losses when nearly 7,000ha of padi fields have been damaged by floods that hit here following a downpour on Saturday.

Kota Belud Integrated Agricultural Development Area director Salmah Labulla said the estimated losses were calculated based on the potential yield, current market price and costs involved in cultivation.

On Saturday, a downpour left 11 districts and 152 villages in Sabah inundated in floodwaters including Kota Belud, Tenom, Beaufort, Papar, Tuaran and Penampang.

Salmah said almost half of the padi fields here, which were about to be harvested, were covered in mud and at risk of being damaged by the floods.

About 3,000 affected farmers would receive aid from a disaster relief programme, and get between RM800 and RM1,000 per hectare each, depending on the age of crops, to ease their burden.

She said several methods would be implemented to prevent recurrence of such an incident, including looking into the need for a dam to control water levels and deepening rivers in Kota Belud.

Farmers expressed their sadness after seeing their crops, which were supposed to be harvested in just a few days’ time, damaged by floods.

Perin Rahil said his 2ha padi field was damaged and his losses were estimated about RM11,000.