Kelantan padi farmers resigned to fate amid dry spell
KOTA BHARU: The majority of farmers in Kelantan are now left with no choice but to accept fate as their crops suffer severe damage and become unharvestable amidst the ongoing dry and scorching weather.
A survey by Bernama found that among the most severely affected padi cultivation areas are north and south of Kota Bharu, especially around Ketereh which relies solely on water supply from the Kemubu pump.
Mukim Dusun Rendah Ketereh federal village development and security committee (JPKKP) chairman Azman Jusoh noted that complaints received revealed that a segment of the padi fields, spanning about 40.4 hectares, is two months old and therefore in crucial need of adequate water for proper growth.
“The serious water supply crisis since last month has not only stunted the growth of the padi but also caused it to turn reddish, resulting in farmers facing tens of thousands of ringgit in losses.
“This area relies solely on the Kemubu pump, so it faces a critical situation. And efforts to source alternative supply have also reached a dead end,” he told Bernama yesterday.
Meanwhile, Kampung Lepah village head Che Satar Mat Din, 64, said a section of the 161.8hectare padi fields in the region is also facing a similar disaster, with almost 24.2 hectares of padi dying due to water scarcity.
“Another part of the area is still holding up, but the river water from Kampung Berangan, which farmers relied on, dried up last week. If the situation persists for the next two weeks, all the padi in this area may also be irreversibly damaged,” he said, noting that he also faces losing 16.1 hectares of his padi fields to these severe conditions.
Having been involved in padi cultivation for the past 30 years, he hoped the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (Kada) would take more proactive measures in the upcoming seasons to prevent this problem, thereby assisting farmers in increasing rice production.