Padi planting activity to go on despite hot weather

Padi famer. -Filepic

PENDANG: There is no cancellation in the padi planting activity schedule for the new season this year in the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) area although the hot weather will persist until June.

Mada chairman Datuk Othman Aziz said the water level at the three major dams supervised by Mada, namely Pedu, Ahning and Muda were at 70% as of yesterday and sufficient for this season.

“We will implement the first planting season according to schedule and at the same time, we will help the state government supply water from the Muda Dam to the Beris Dam.

“In turn, the Beris Dam will channel water via Sungai Muda to Sungai Petani, Kulim, Penang including Penang,” he said after opening the Jom Turun Bendang programme at Kampung Pulau Tengah, Mukim Padang Kerbau, here yesterday.

Also present were Sungai Tiang assemblyman Datuk Suraya Yaacob and Pendang Umno division chief Datuk Paduka Md Rozai Safian.

According to the schedule, three phases of water supply was established by Mada – March 30, April 9 and April 19.

Earlier in his speech, Othman said almost 30% of about 55,000 padi planters in MADA did not use the correct padi seeds resulting in poor quality crops.

“The authorised padi seeds are produced under the Rice Seed Verification quality standard scheme conducted by the Agriculture Department as a confirmation agency,” he said.

Suraya, who is also state Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Committee chairman, said the coordination of 449ha of padi field in Mukim Padang Kerbau here, was much lauded. — Bernama