KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — A total of 1,700 pumps and 281 tube wells have been provided to agricultural areas of states affected by the El Nino phenomenon.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said it was a proactive measure in the possible advent that padi, fruits and vegetable farms would be affected by the ongoing extreme hot weather until June.
“Besides, we have also rescheduled the replanting activities in several affected sub-sector areas as we expect the impact of the extreme hot weather to be felt by the farmers in the coming month.
“The pumps are installed to pump water to the padi fields, while the tube wells are for fruit and vegetable farms,” he said in reply to Senator Engku Naimah Engku Taib at the Dewan Negara sitting here today.
Engku Naimah had wanted to know the impact of El Nino phenomenon to the agriculture industry and the government’s efforts to ensure that it would not affect the national agricultural production.
When replying to Engku Naimah’s supplementary question on whether the supply of poultry and meat would be affected by El Nino phenomenon, especially during the upcoming month of Ramadan, Ahmad Shabery said his ministry had made appropriate preparation to face the situation.
“From now, the chicken hatching rate has been increased to overcome the effects of El Nino which has caused a decline of between five to 10 per cent in chicken production .
“If it is not enough, then we are also prepared to take alternative measures, including to import from other countries, so that the price remains stabilised,” he said. — Bernama
