DUNGUN, April 12 — A farmer has suffered an estimated RM20,000 in losses after his vegetable crops cultivated in Kampung Minda near here were damaged due to the current hot and dry weather affecting the country.

Sulaiman Ismail, 39, said he incurred losses as only a small portion of the vegetables grown on his 2.5-hectare farm, including long beans, chillies, okra, cucumbers and water spinach, could be harvested.

He said most of the crops were damaged as water sources from nearby swamps and rivers had nearly dried up due to the hot weather, affecting the irrigation system on his farm.

“During this hot season, I am only able to harvest and market about 200 kilogrammes of vegetables daily compared to nearly one metric tonne per day in other seasons.

“Most of the vegetables also have to be sold at lower prices in the market as their quality has declined due to the heat,” he said when met at Kampung Minda here today.

Sulaiman said the situation has affected his income, with total sales during this season only reaching about RM2,000 compared to more than RM20,000 a month in other seasons.

In addition, he said the hot weather has also made crops more susceptible to pest attacks, further affecting growth and yield.

Farmer Sulaiman Ismail, 39, clears his 2.5-hectare farm in Kampung Minda, Dungun after most of the crops were lost due to the dry spell that caused even water sources to dry up. — Bernama pic
Farmer Sulaiman Ismail, 39, clears his 2.5-hectare farm in Kampung Minda, Dungun after most of the crops were lost due to the dry spell that caused even water sources to dry up. — Bernama pic

“Hot weather usually increases the population of certain pests that attack and damage vegetables such as aphids, caterpillars and mites,” he said.

However, he said he is now making preparations to replant various types of vegetables for the new season in anticipation of the upcoming Aidiladha celebration.

Meanwhile, Kampung Minda Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) chairman Mohamad Nordin Saman said eight residents in the village are involved in small-scale vegetable farming as a source of additional income.

“The income of these farmers has also been affected as the crops cultivated are not producing satisfactory yields due to the current hot weather,” he said.

However, he added that the 36-hectare Paya Melong paddy cluster project in the village has not been severely affected as it has a good irrigation system. — Bernama