Tieu’s vegetable farm flooded after heavy rain.
SIBU: Vegetable farms especially those located at the low-lying area of Sungai Bidut on the west bank of Sibu town are inundated and their crops damaged after continuous rain in the last few days.
Sibu Vegetable Planters Association chairman Tieu Kiu Sing said the flood had severely affected the livelihood of the farmers especially those from the west bank.
“As such, the daily supply of vegetables to the market is becoming scarce. We have no alternative but increase prices of vegetables by 50 sen to RM1 per kilogramme,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Tieu who has about five acres planted with various types of vegetables at Sg Bidut lamented the farmers’ loss of income and livelihood.
“We have sustained heavy losses over damaged vegetables submerged by flood. All the fertilizers we had applied to our vegetables had been washed away.
“We earnestly hope the authority concerned or agriculture department would assist us through this difficult time by subsidising fertilisers,” he added.
Tieu also appealed to the government for suitable land on higher ground for the farmers at Sg Bidut who suffer frequent flooding during high tide and heavy rain.