KOTA BHARU: The preliminary drought report on the 2024 crop sector by the Department of Agriculture recorded that 2,972 farmers in Kelantan were affected involving the destruction of 7,467.42 hectares from March to May 15.
State Agriculture, Agro-food Industry and Commodities Committee chairman Tuan Mohd Saripudin Tuan Ismail said the Department of Agriculture will apply for a proposed aid of more than RM5.56 million through the allocation of the Rice Crop Disaster Fund and the Agricultural Disaster Fund to ease the burden of farmers affected by crop damage.
“Besides, the Menteri Besar of Kelantan (Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud) has also approved an immediate aid allocation of RM300,000 to build tube wells, water pump aid and other needs to help irrigate affected padi fields and farmers throughout Kelantan,“ he said.
He was replying to a question by Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim (BN-Galas) who asked about the actions taken by the state government to help rice farmers affected by the drought in Kelantan at the State Legislative Assembly meeting at Kota Darulnaim Complex, here, today.
Commenting further, Tuan Mohd Saripudin said that among the efforts made by the state government to deal with the drought disaster in Kelantan, especially in helping the padi farmers, was to arrange a rice planting schedule according to the irrigation scheme and canal cleaning and digging canals to ensure the smooth movement of water for usage by farmers.
