90 pineapple farmers lose RM5.4 mln due to floods

BENTONG: Ninety pineapple farmers in Selangor, Pahang, Perak and Negeri 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 Dr 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 and incurring losses of about RM1 million and today, we are here to look at the destruction to the farms in identifying 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 agriculture inputs 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 to Bernama after visiting the home and pineapple farm of Nazaruddin Abdul Jalil in Kampung Karak Setia, here, which was affected by the floods that hit Bentong district 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 LPNM's top officials' visit to his home and farm, as well as handing out aid such as food, mats and a water jet to his family.

The father of two who has been growing pineapple since four years ago, said the flood had destroyed over 30 per cent of his 0.4-hectare farm.

"I also much appreciate LPNM's effort to buy the pineapples of the MD2 variety which are still in good condition to me marketed so as to lessen my family's burden," he added.

-- BERNAMA