By Zaki Salleh
Credit photo: Wat Kamal Abas
BAGAN SERAI: Perak is the third-largest rice producer in the country, achieving a Self-Sufficiency Ratio (SSR) of 103% in 2023.
The state recorded a rice planting area of 74,789 hectares, covering both paddy fields and non-paddy areas.
In 2023, the total rice production in Perak amounted to 283,408.08 tons, involving 16,703 farmers.
However, the rice industry frequently faces several challenges, especially due to climate change, which directly impacts crop yields.
The State Executive Councillor for Rural Development, Plantations, Agriculture, and Food Industries, Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun, stated that this situation could affect the stability of the food supply chain.
“Climate change is the main challenge influencing the occurrence of natural disasters. Therefore, strategic measures need to be taken to ensure the agricultural sector remains resilient,” he said.
Due to the drought, the state government has allocated RM813,081 through the Paddy Crop Disaster Fund (TBTP) to assist 702 farmers affected in the previous season.
Mohd Zolkafly mentioned that the drought had affected a planting area of 778.15 hectares across Perak, including 470.93 hectares in the Kerian district.
Additionally, approximately RM1.4 million has been allocated to assist 110 farmers and livestock breeders in the subsectors of food crops, livestock, and aquaculture.
