Kuala lumpur: More than 400 hectares of padi cultivation in Lambor Kanan have been affected by hot weather, causing farmers to fail to start the second season of cultivation scheduled for this month.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Perak Malaysian Farmers' Brotherhood Organisation (Pesawah) chairman Azhar Hashim stated that the issue has been ongoing since the start of the year. It was caused by the breakdown of two pumps at Lambor Kanan Pump House, impacting the water supply from Sungai Perak to the padi cultivation areas.

Azhar highlighted that the lack of sufficient water supply has stunted the growth of padi, disrupting the planting schedule and resulting in the loss of a crop season. Farmers should have finished harvesting the first season's produce in March and started the second season this month.

He expressed hope that the pump problem could be resolved swiftly to safeguard the livelihoods of padi farmers who rely on their crops for income. Azhar urged authorities to take immediate action to prevent a recurrence that could lead to greater losses.

Meanwhile, Perak Tengah District Community Development chairman Nordin Abdul Malek proposed forming a special task force to address weather-related issues for padi farmers at the district level. He suggested the committee include agencies like the Irrigation and Drainage Department, the State Agriculture Department, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad to coordinate efforts in managing water supply and irrigation systems.

Nordin emphasized the need for proactive measures, especially with the anticipated El Nino, to prevent the situation from worsening. He also noted the importance of addressing these challenges to prevent rice farmers from losing interest in cultivation due to repetitive losses.