Experts: But further prolonged exposure to haze could impact production
PETALING JAYA: The hazy weather in the last few months is unlikely to cause significant damage to crops, but further prolonged exposure could affect fruit quality, flowering and agricultural yields, say experts.
One expert even warned that if haze persisted for a few more weeks, farmers could face delayed harvests and smaller yields.
Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) Tropical Agriculture and Food Security Institute director Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Juraimi said the duration of haze was a key factor in determining its impact on agricultural production.
He said most vegetable and fruit crops required photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) levels of between 400 and 700, while haze with Air Pollutant Index (API) readings of between 150 and 200 could reduce PAR by about 15% to 20%.
“Haze lasting more than two months could affect crop growth,” he said, adding short-term haze generally had little effect on crops.
“The haze we have experienced over the past few weeks, with API readings fluctuating up and down, has not had much impact on our crops,” he added.
UPM Agriculture Faculty senior lecturer Dr Juju Nakasha Jaafar said plants depended on sufficient sunlight and clean air for healthy growth, with haze disrupting these processes.
She explained that smoke particles could reduce the amount of sunlight reaching plants, slowing photosynthesis, while fine particles settling on leaves could block their microscopic pores, restricting the exchange of gases.
Juju said similar agricultural concerns had been documented during Malaysia’s severe haze episodes in 1997 and 2015.
She warned that if haze persisted for another three to four weeks, farmers could face delayed harvests and smaller yields, potentially affecting domestic food supplies.
The country’s reliance on regional suppliers could also leave its food supply chain exposed if haze affected farms in neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Thailand.
“When neighbouring countries experience their own crop declines, Malaysia cannot easily rely on them to cover domestic deficits,” she said.
Juju suggests greater adoption of controlled environment agriculture, including greenhouses equipped with air filtration systems and artificial lighting, to protect crops from outdoor pollution.
“A targeted financial assistance can help farmers manage additional operating costs and reduce the risk of higher production costs being passed on to consumers,” she added.
