More than 50 per cent of the 7,000 paddy farmers in Kelantan are expected to forgo rice planting for the first season next month due to a critical water shortage caused by prolonged dry weather.
Farmers said the recently operational Kemubu 4 pump house, which began functioning in February, has yet to effectively resolve irrigation issues affecting paddy fields across the state.
Chairman of the Kelantan Farmers Association (PESAK), Zuha Ismail, said many farmers are unwilling to risk starting cultivation amid uncertainty over water supply, fearing further financial losses.
“The paddy industry is currently facing two major challenges — rising operational costs and water supply issues. Even if costs increase, farmers would still continue planting if water supply remained stable.
“Water is the most important factor in paddy cultivation. Without sufficient supply, rice yields will decline and farmers will inevitably suffer losses,” he said when contacted.
Zuha explained that the prolonged drought has not only caused paddy fields to crack but has also dried up and damaged irrigation canals in several areas.
He added that the Kemubu 4 pump house is currently implementing a water rotation system, but the supply remains insufficient to reach all farming areas.
“If the issue continues into next month without a proper solution, more farmers will decide against cultivating their fields,” he said.
At the same time, he welcomed the Federal Government’s move to approve an advance incentive payment of RM200 per hectare for ploughing activities as a proactive step to ease farmers’ burden following rising diesel costs.
However, he stressed that solving irrigation problems must go hand in hand with financial assistance to ensure rice cultivation activities are not disrupted.
“Farmers have already suffered losses for several planting seasons because of water shortages. If planting continues next month while the issue remains unresolved, it would only lead to more losses,” he added.
