KUALA LUMPUR: El Nino, a naturally occurring climate pattern, is back after seven years, with experts warning that it may bring extreme weather from d...
SEKINCHAN, June 12 -- Farm workers burn rice straw before the rice replanting process begins during a survey around Sekinchan. BERNAMAPIX: El Nino, a naturally occurring climate pattern, is back after seven years, with experts warning that it may bring extreme weather from droughts to floods and record-breaking temperatures.
The current scenario saw rice millers lowering the selling price from RM1,700 a tonne to around RM1,200 and RM1,250 causing a heavy burden on farmers who are already saddled with rising costs of fertiliser, pesticides and workers’ wages. Earlier, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said the El Nino phenomenon is expected to become more extreme than previous episodes, with an increase in temperature and a reduction in the amount of rainfall nationwide this year due to global warming.
Malaysia currently produces 63 per cent of rice for local consumption, with the balance imported from India, Thailand Vietnam.
“The reservoir needs to be monitored because if less rainfall is experienced in November and December due to El Nino and IOD factors, then water stored in the reservoir is also reduced,” he said. “In my view, the issue is not related to farmers but the management of water dams as a lot of water needs to be released. Water from dams should be released in a prudent manner so that it can be stored for use in the next season,” he said.
Local white rice is fast running out due to poor demand for imported rice among consumers following the latter’s price hike of up to 36 per cent. It is said that the domestic white rice supply shortage is attributed to low padi production in the country, which is insufficient to meet domestic demand.
The sudden climate change is among the reasons for the slight drop in the nation’s self sufficiency level for rice to 63 per cent in 2022 from 65 per cent in 2021, said Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security Director, Universiti Putra Malaysia Prof Dr Mohd Rafii Yusop. In this regard, he opined that there is a need for the Department of Irrigation and Drainage to learn from developed economies as well as other ASEAN nations such as Vietnam and Thailand to improve the irrigation system.
According to him, the number of farmers in the area suffering from heat stroke has been increasing, with some hospitalised, an uncommon situation in the previous years. “I was spraying pesticides in the padi fields amid the scorching heat when I suddenly fainted. At the hospital, the doctor told me that I had to be treated for a month due to heat stroke.
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