JITRA: Owners of fruit orchards here are beginning to feel the heat as the current hot weather has left most of their crops dry and withered, if not dead.
Bai Haki Saad, 48, the owner of an orchard in Kampung Padang Panjang near here, said he had spent almost RM5,000 to buy a water pump to irrigate all the trees during the hot weather.
“Other orchard owners like me also had to spend more time tending to our crops and spending more money to care for our trees. The durian tree we just planted has also died.
“Even now, other trees, like the rambutan and dokong have withered and died due to the extreme heat and humidity,” he told reporters here today.
Bai Haki said he had to water his plants more frequently in the mornings and evenings to ensure they received a sufficient amount of water.
Another orchard owner in Kampung Biak near here, Amran Ismail, 40, said a similar incident occurred five years ago and some of the trees in his orchard died due to the heat wave, thus affecting his income.
Amran said he had to pump water from nearby drains to irrigate his seven-hectare durian plantation daily.
“This time I am also using a water pump if not there is insufficient water and the trees will die like in the past,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kedah Agriculture Department director Eliyas Saad said they would monitor the orchards and plantations daily and recommended that farmers heap leaves near tree trunks and water them.
“These leaves will damp the area near the trees, but I wish to advise them to water their trees early in the morning and late in the evening only.
“Orchard owners can also buy a type of silicone gel from shops selling agricultural products which functions by holding and releasing water slowly, thus ensuring the tree roots absorb water over an extended period,” he said. – Bernama
