PENDANG: The country is urged to enhance agricultural resilience as projections indicate a significant rise in dry and hot weather in 2025, potentially exceeding previous records.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said that the current El Nino phenomenon had already impacted crop yields, raising concerns that impending worse conditions could further impact agricultural output.
"This year, based on my observation, there is a notable decrease in rice production due to adverse weather patterns persisting over three years, affecting yields.
"The reduced padi yields is due to the harsh impacts of the El Nino weather conditions, this hot weather is too harsh.
"Predictions for 2025 also suggest that the temperatures will be higher, we need to prepare," he said during a press conference after opening the Smart SBB harvesting programme at Kampung Gulau here today.
Also present were Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada) chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh and national Farmers Organisation Authority (LPP) chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar.
Mohamad said that government agencies under his ministry had already taken proactive measures to withstand the anticipated extreme temperatures next year.
"Possibly, the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) could explore adjustments in the planting schedules to reduce the impact," he added.
Commenting on the meeting with padi and rice industry stakeholders on Thursday, Mohamad said that decisions regarding local white rice prices would be finalised on March 20.
"It's vital that we achieve a balance where farmers, millers and consumers are content. Therefore, we are engaging with all relevant sectors to devise the best strategies moving forward," he added.
He also said that the government would follow the directive of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, who decreed that key issues should move towards targeted subsidies.
On Thursday, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry held an engagement session with stakeholders of the padi and rice industry, as decided by the National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) special meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Feb 23.
In a statement on Friday, the ministry said the meeting had agreed to further comprehensive studies and discussions with the padi and rice industry by considering the padi purchase price, supply factors, global price of imported rice, sustainability of local rice supply and the effects on consumers.