BAGAN SERAI, May 2 — The Perak state government hopes the Federal government can hand out paddy production subsisdies to farmers who are affected by the receding water levels at the Bukit Merah Dam due to the El Nino phenomenon.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the subsidy may be granted based on the rate of paddy production last season, as an effort to help farmers, especially those in Kerian, which is the country’s rice bowl.

“I hope that National Disaster Committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi can discuss with the state government on how to help the farmers because they have missed the planting season as water could not be channelled into the fields.

“Although the Federal government has not declared Bukit Merah as a disaster stricken area, they can still hand out paddy production subsisdies for each season to the farmers,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after inspecting the paddy fields around Gunung Semanggol and the Bukit Merah Dam here, today.

Currently, farmers receive RM1,200 per metric ton of paddy sold, in addition to enjoying a further subsidy of of RM300 per metric ton.

On April 30, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said 8,097 hectares of paddy fields at the Integrated Agriculture Development Area (IADA) in Kerian were affected by the current hot and dry spell.

The drought has affected 3,197 paddy farmers with total losses of about RM39.9 million. — Bernama