FARMER LOSES RM10,000 AS FLOODS DESTROY VEGETABLE FARM

MARANG, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- A farmer here incurred losses of over RM10,000 after floodwaters destroyed more than 5,000 of his vegetable plants.

Mohd Saiful Azhan Abdullah, 35, said his brinjal, long bean, and cucumber crops on his 0.4-hectare farm were submerged in chest-deep water this morning.

“I started planting and fertilising the vegetables at the end of October and continued until early this month. By now, they should be ready for harvest, except for the brinjals, which take a bit longer to bear fruit,” he told Bernama when he was met at his farm in Kampung Banggol Kapas today.

Mohd Saiful has been running the farm with his parents, Zaitun Abbas, 71, and Abdullah Mat Ali, 80, for the past five years.

This is the second time floods have affected the farm. It was inundated in 2023 as well, but the water only rose to calf level and did not destroy the entire crop.

Despite the losses, there was a silver lining; he managed to salvage about 100 kilogrammes of mature long beans yesterday, which he sold to a wholesaler today

Meanwhile, in Kampung Banggol Katong, adjacent to Kampung Banggol Kapas, a trader with disabilities continued operating his sundry shop despite floodwaters rising to thigh level at both his trading premises and home since yesterday.

Japri Mohd Naim chose to remain open to ensure villagers could still obtain essential goods and food supplies during the floods.

“Due to heavy rain over the past two to three days, the roads leading out of the village are flooded and impassable for light vehicles. If I close the shop, it will be difficult for the villagers to get their necessities,” said the 58-year-old, who runs the shop with his wife, Siti Rohani Zainal, 56.

Japri, who has been paralysed from the waist down after falling from a rambutan tree 14 years ago, typically earns between RM4,000 and RM5,000 a month. However, his business has been hit hard by the floods, with income dropping by about 50 per cent.

He added that this is the first time his house and shop have experienced flooding, despite being located only about five metres from the river.

-- BERNAMA