TAIPING: Perak padi farmers facing threats from drought, floods, or storms, no longer need to wait for an official disaster declaration, before applying for assistance under the Padi Crop Disaster Fund.
State Department of Agriculture director Norsiyenti Othman advised farmers to go to the Integrated Agricultural Development Area Integration (IADA) Kerian office, or the nearest Department of Agriculture office, take photographs of the damaged fields and also file a police report, before submitting the documents to IADA or Agriculture Department officers for processing.
“This process must be done within three months from the first day of the disaster.
“If it exceeds three months, we won’t be able to process it.
“That is the procedure because we are giving out cash, and I have already instructed my officers to liaise with the IADA director to go on-site and assist,” she said at a press conference, after opening the 2025 Larut Matang and Selama Department of Agriculture Agro Carnival 2025, and the pre-launch of the Perak Agricultural Herbal Centre, here, today.
She said that, for crops aged 70 days old and below, farmers will receive RM860, while those over 70 days old get RM1,800, which will be paid directly into their accounts.
Farmers in the Kerian area experienced drought problems, caused by the declining water level of Bukit Merah dam in Bagan Serai, attributed to prolonged dry weather since May.
Meanwhile, she said that the Taiping Herbal Centre now houses about 220 species of herbal plants, brought from the former Simpang Pulai Herbal Garden, making it the only herbal centre of its kind in Perak.
“So far, the state government has approved an allocation of about RM740,000 for road upgrading works at the centre.
“Development work started in 2020 during the Movement Control Order (MCO), but was delayed due to the pandemic, and now this (Taiping) Herbal Centre is also suitable for students to learn about plants,” he said.
Also present were state Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman and Aulong assemblyman, Teh Kok Lim, and the Larut, Matang and Selama district officer, Mohd Nasrul Menhat.
– Bernama
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