Pertubuhan Persaudaraan Pesawah Malaysia (Pesawah) said this was based on a survey by the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada), which estimated that nearly 6,000ha of padi fields in Kedah and Perlis that were soon to be harvested had been submerged by floodwaters.

“The area under Mada covers 100,000ha of padi fields and there are an additional 30,000ha outside of that area. An estimated 6,000ha have been flooded, resulting in a loss of up to 30,000 tonnes of rice yield,” said Pesawah chairman Abdul Rashid Yob.

“That amount translates to over RM50 million based on the current purchase price of RM1,800 per metric tonne by private rice millers and an average rice yield of five metric tonnes per hectare,” he said, according to Berita Harian.

Rashid feared that the total crop damage could reach up to 7,000ha since farmers in Penang were also affected by the floods.

He said the damage was not as bad in 2005 and 2010, as the floods then occurred in the early stages of padi planting.

“This time, the floods hit just as the crops were nearing harvest time,” he said.

The Perak branch of the Farmers’ Organisation Authority said 1,260ha of padi fields under the agency were affected by the floods, based on a survey on Sept 19.

Its deputy director, Nor Rahila Yusof, said 853 farmers were affected, causing an estimated RM11.34 million in losses.

“This is based on an estimated 6,300 metric tonnes of padi damaged by the floods and a purchase price of RM1,800 per metric tonne by rice millers,” she said.