Ensuring agriculture sector can withstand dry spell

PUTRAJAYA: The Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry has taken measures to ensure the agricultural sector is able to withstand the current dry spell, said its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pix).
He said, however, so far the situation is not so alarming.
"We have dealt with hot weather before, in 2014, we faced a drought... but this year, even though the weather is hot, it still rains," he told reporters after opening the Agrotourism Seminar 2015, here, today.
He said irrigated rice fields operated by the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (Kada) and Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) still have sufficient water supply.
"For agricultural areas outside Mada and Kada, we have provided 25 tube wells costing RM3.35 million throughout the country, and 450 units of 'backward pump' which have been distributed to farmers in Kelantan," he said.
Ismail Sabri said the fisheries industry, especially in Pahang, had also felt the effects of the hot weather with water levels decreasing at rivers.
"We advised them to sell fully-grown fishes, and if the fish fry die due to the hot weather, the ministry will provide them with new fry," he added. – Bernama