Kedah: Recent floods in Kedah and Perlis have impacted nearly 11,657 hectares of paddy fields, leading to losses of nearly RM20 million. The Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh stated that the affected area includes 5,550 MADA farmers across both northern states.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the worst-hit area was Region I in Perlis, with 5,721 hectares affected, followed by Region II Jitra (5,648 hectares), Region III Pendang (271 hectares), and Region IV Kota Sarang Semut (16.74 hectares). Many crops were between seven and 45 days old, impacting farmers’ incomes and disrupting the 2/2025 planting season schedule. Losses are expected to exceed current estimates due to additional costs like seeds and ploughing fees, Ismail told reporters today.
Ismail mentioned that MADA submitted a post-flood allocation request to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) on Dec 7. While awaiting approval, RM611,000 has been disbursed for emergency works in the affected fields. Over RM1 million has been allocated for cleaning drainage and irrigation, farmyard recovery, and maintaining the water channel. The cost of recovery works in the flood-hit areas is expected to reach RM11.2 million.
He noted that assessments are ongoing to ensure affected farmers receive assistance under the Paddy Crop Takaful Scheme (STTP). Ismail assured that MADA remains well-positioned to ensure the country’s rice supply is not compromised. The Muda Area, covering 100,641 hectares and farmed by 55,904 farmers, remains Malaysia’s primary rice-producing region, contributing 35 to 40 per cent of the country’s total annual rice production.
The 2024 performance shows a positive trend, with 790,658 metric tonnes of paddy harvested, compared to 775,186 metric tonnes in 2023. This increase is attributed to the successful implementation of the IR4.0 Smart Farm Project, which integrates Internet of Things (IoT) technology for smart agriculture, including soil and water sensors, drones, and digital monitoring systems. This technology not only helps farmers work more efficiently but also minimises input wastage and boosts yields, Ismail added.