Over RM2 million aid for flood-affected breeders in Terengganu

A total of 175 breeders in Terengganu who were affected by the flood disaster in December 2021 until February this year have received assistance in the form of equipment and inputs worth almost RM2.08 million, the state legislative assembly was told yesterday.

Agriculture, Food Industry, Plantation, Commodity and Rural Development Committee chairman Dr Azman Ibrahim said the federal government through the Agrofood Project Redevelopment Programme had distributed between RM5,000 and RM10,000 to each breeder.

In addition to the assistance, he said the state government also distributed cash aid under the Terengganu Agricultural Disaster Fund, involving a total of RM221,000 to the affected breeders.

“At the same time, the state government helps to coordinate and reschedule loans with funding agencies such as SBMT (Skim Bantuan Modal Tani), LPP (Farmers Organisation Authority) and Agrobank,” he said when replying to a question from Datuk Rozi Mamat (BNTelemong).

Dr Azman said strong winds, continuous heavy rains and floods had cost the agriculture sector RM12 million and left a deep impact on the state’s food security sector.

He said the aquaculture sector recorded the biggest loss of RM8.56 million while Kuala Terengganu, Hulu Terengganu and Besut were the most affected districts.

Meanwhile, he said the state government had held a series of discussions with experts in the field of food formula, to find a way to reduce dependence on imported raw materials for animal feed.

“Among the plans is to utilise local resources such as napier grass, black talapia fish filling and fish fertiliser to produce our own livestock feed formula,” he added.