Vegetable farmers in Malaysia brace for lower crop yield as El Nino and haze looms

Vegetables

Malaysia

Published Jun 25, 2023

Tridge summary

Vegetable farmers in Malaysia are experiencing lower crop yields and potential price increases due to hot and dry weather conditions caused by the El Nino phenomenon and the transboundary haze. Farmers are taking precautions to protect themselves from the extreme heat, such as taking more breaks and scheduling time to drink water every 10 minutes. The government is working on guidelines for outdoor activities during extreme weather conditions, and farmers are implementing strategies to mitigate the impact on their crops, but the decrease in productivity and income is still a significant challenge.

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Original content

JOHOR BAHRU: Mr Naviin Thiagaran and his father have been farming long beans, okra and cucumbers for almost five years on a small plot of land in Kota Tinggi, Johor. The pair have grown accustomed to working under sweltering hot conditions as they typically tend to their crops in the morning up till noon. However, it was only last month - amid a heatwave that scorched many parts of the country - that Mr Thiagaran fully realised the potential dangers of working in such conditions. One morning while tending to his crops, the 29-year-old felt unwell and was rushed to hospital for treatment. “The heat during that period was unbearable, nothing like we have experienced before,” said Mr Thiagaran. “I had all kinds of symptoms at one go. I was feverish, (had) muscle ache, nauseous and I felt like I had gastric pain. I could barely walk and just had to lie down,” he added. He was treated for heat exhaustion at a nearby hospital and discharged after three hours of monitoring. Although he ...

Source: Channelnewsasia