BENTONG – Ninety pineapple farmers in Selangor, Pahang, Perak and Negri Sembilan have incurred losses estimated at RM5.4 million after their farms totalling 49 hectares were hit by floods.
Malaysia Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) chairman Datuk Sahruddin Jamal said the board members were taking the initiative of going down to the farms to see for themselves the destruction caused by the floods towards providing aid to these farmers.
“In Pahang alone, 39 farmers are affected by the floods, incurring losses of about RM1 million, and today, we are here to look at the destruction to the farms and identify the kinds of aid needed by the affected farmers.
“Besides basic necessities, the other aid to be channelled to them through the LPNM Disaster Fund are agricultural, such as fungicide, pineapple seedlings, and fertiliser amounting to RM2,500 per hectare with the aid for a maximum of four hectares.”
He said this after visiting the home and pineapple farm of Nazaruddin Abdul Jalil in Kg Karak Setia here, which was affected by the floods that hit Bentong last December.
Also present during the visit were LPNM director-general Mohd Khairuzamri M. Salleh, Pahang LPNM director Muhammad Fauzan Mohd, and LPNM corporate communications head Elmie Adha Ismail.
Sahruddin said LPNM would also assist the pineapple farmers whose houses were affected by the floods through basic aid in the form of food and other basic essentials under the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry’s Prihatin programme.
“LPNM will always be updating the information received from the affected farmers, whether with regard to their farms or homes or both.”
Meanwhile, Nazaruddin, 49, said he was thankful for and especially touched by the LPNM’s top officials’ visit to his home and farm, as they also handed out aid such as food, mats, and a water jet to his family.
The father of two, who has been growing pineapples since four years ago, said the flood had destroyed over 30% of his 0.4ha farm.
“I also much appreciate LPNM’s effort to buy the pineapples of the MD2 variety, which are still in good condition to be marketed so as to lessen my family’s burden,” he added. – Bernama, January 4, 2022
