KERIAN PADDY FARMERS WORRIED AS LOW WATER LEVELS DELAY PLANTING SEASON

IPOH, March 29 (Bernama) -- Padi farmers in the Kerian area have expressed concern about the current hot weather, which has caused the Bukit Merah Dam to reach Critical Irrigation Level 1.

Farmer and Parit Abas unit chief Ishak Yunus, 66, said the situation has forced the postponement of irrigation water supply for the new planting season, placing pressure on farmers who have already invested in land preparation and the purchase of paddy seeds.

He said the water supply, initially scheduled to begin on March 25, has now been delayed to April 8, but farmers are concerned that the date may be pushed back further if there is no heavy rainfall in the area.

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“We are worried that the water supply for irrigation will be delayed again. We were supposed to start on March 25, and if it is postponed to April 8, that is already a two-week delay.

“Our yields have already dropped significantly, and if planting is delayed, harvesting will also be delayed. We do not have a fixed income,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

Farmers in the Kuala Kurau area said they are now taking the initiative to switch to more resilient paddy varieties to avoid wastage.

Shaiful Shahrin Ahmad Pauzi, 42, said this approach allows water in the fields to be retained rather than drained, as is the usual practice, given the difficulty of securing a water supply if the hot weather persists.

“Given the situation, we are switching to more resilient paddy varieties, where water in the fields will not be drained to reduce the risk of water shortage,” he said.

Another Kuala Kurau farmer, Mohd Ehsan Khairudin, 41, said the delay in the irrigation schedule not only increases herbicide costs due to faster weed growth but also affects the quality of paddy seed germination, as the seeds have been stored for too long.

He said farmers are feeling pressured by the situation, as most operate under a deferred payment system, with payments only settled after the harvest season.

“We heed the advice from the Kerian district Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to use water prudently. However, we are still concerned if this hot weather continues, as it could further disrupt the planting schedule,” said Mohd Ehsan.

Meanwhile, Perak DID director Dr Asnor Muizan Ishak said the Kerian district DID has recommended postponing the water supply schedule by two weeks from the original schedule for compartments that have yet to begin planting.

He said the recommendation was presented at a water supply rescheduling meeting chaired by the Kerian Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA), which agreed to the revised schedule based on the Bukit Merah Dam's current Critical Irrigation Level 1 status.

“The critical condition of the dam requires continuous monitoring, disciplined water release management, and prudent use of water resources,” he said.

Asnor Muizan said adjustments to the water supply schedule, along with the use of alternative sources such as pumps, are crucial to ensure the sustainability of irrigation supply during the dry period.

He added that cooperation from all parties, particularly dam operations teams, irrigation management and related agencies, is crucial to ensure operations run safely, efficiently and effectively.

Earlier, the Kerian district DID, in a Facebook post, said the current water level at Bukit Merah Dam is at Critical Irrigation Level 1, measuring 6.995 metres, below the alert level of 7.62 metres, while the normal level under standard operating procedures for irrigation supply is 8.69 metres.

-- BERNAMA