TENOM: The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, has urged all parties, especially farmers, breeders, and fishermen, to enhance their preparedness due to the El Niño phenomenon expected to last until July.
He stated that reports from the Sabah Meteorological Department indicate that the hot and dry weather resulting from this phenomenon could significantly impact the agricultural sector and food industry in the state.
“In this hot weather, I call upon the agricultural community, breeders, fishermen, and food industry players to exercise greater caution.
“Avoid open burning and refrain from clearing new areas for the time being, as the risk of fires and reduced yields is high,” he said when met by the media during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House hosted by him, who is also the ADUN Melalap, along with his wife at the Datuk Seri Panglima Antanom Hall here on Saturday.
Jamawi assured that his ministry is always ready to assist those affected throughout the El Niño period.
He mentioned that farmers and food industry operators facing issues can directly contact agricultural officers at the district level for assistance and advice.
“If it needs to be escalated to the ministry level, I am personally willing to assess their needs to ensure the welfare and livelihood of families are continuously secured,” he said.
Further commenting, Jamawi noted that this weather phenomenon is also expected to affect fertilizer supply, thereby increasing production costs.
He stated that a significant portion of the country’s fertilizer supply relies on imports, including from China and countries involved in global conflicts.
“When the export of basic fertilizer materials like urea is reduced, it will lead to price increases in the local market,” he said.
In this regard, he encouraged farmers to switch to organic fertilizers as an alternative to reduce costs.
