THE Penang government has identified paddy, vegetable and fruit cultivation as the main agricultural subsectors that could be affected by the El Nino phenomenon due to prolonged hot weather and water shortages.
State Rural Development, Agrotechnology and Food Security Committee chairman Datuk Rashidi Zinol (BN-Sungai Acheh) said paddy cultivation was the most vulnerable as it depended heavily on a sufficient and continuous supply of irrigation water.
He said the state had about 11,858ha of active paddy cultivation areas, adding that water shortages could affect crop growth, productivity and overall yields.
“Vegetable cultivation, particularly in open areas, could also be affected by heat stress, increased evaporation and insufficient irrigation water, which could disrupt crop growth and reduce yields,” he said.
Rashidi said fruit cultivation, especially durian orchards in the hilly areas of Balik Pulau, could also experience disruptions to flowering and fruit development, resulting in lower yields due to prolonged drought.
He added that the livestock sector could also be affected by extreme temperatures, particularly chicken and egg production, while oil palm cultivation had also been identified as a subsector at risk.
He said this during a question-and-answer session with Phee Syn Tze (Sungai Puyu) at the State Legislative Assembly sitting.
On measures to mitigate the impact of drought, Rashidi said the state government would strengthen early monitoring of vulnerable agricultural areas and provide technical advice to farmers.
He said this included guidance on planting schedules, water management and crop care to reduce the risk of damage and loss of produce.
He added that the state would identify agricultural areas at risk of drought and assess their water requirements before implementing suitable interventions.
Among the measures being considered were the deployment of mobile water pumps to channel water from suitable sources and identifying potential sites for deep tube wells as alternative water sources.
However, he said these measures would depend on the availability of water sources, site suitability and approval from the relevant authorities.
Rashidi said the state would also strengthen cooperation with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and other relevant agencies to monitor water resources, coordinate irrigation water distribution and identify areas requiring improvements to their irrigation and drainage systems.
He said farmers would also be encouraged to adopt more efficient water management practices, including drip irrigation, fertigation, farm water storage facilities and irrigation scheduling based on crop requirements.
He added that the state would continue strengthening the agro-food sector through improved productivity in paddy, vegetable and fruit cultivation, the adoption of modern agricultural technologies and the protection of Permanent Food Production Parks.
These efforts were aimed at improving the resilience of the local food production sector against climate change and reducing the risk of food supply disruptions.
During the question-and-answer session, Phee also asked about measures to ensure food prices and supplies remained stable.
In response, Rashidi said prices were influenced by market demand and supply.
He said the state’s vegetable production was currently sufficient to meet domestic demand, but farmers had complained about falling prices due to the influx of produce from outside Penang.
He said farmers had raised concerns that vegetable prices had dropped because of competition from produce brought in from other states.
Rashidi added that the state would continue providing farmers with technical knowledge and assistance, including better irrigation management, to help them maintain production should El Nino occur.
Story by Edmund Lee