SEREMBAN, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- The impact of the El Nino phenomenon on commodity crop yields, especially palm oil, usually manifests several months after prolonged hot weather and reduced rainfall.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said the ministry and relevant agencies are actively monitoring field operations and production trends to assess the impact of weather patterns on the commodities sector.
"El Niño can certainly affect commodity crops if prolonged heat and dry spells persist.
"Our priority is to help smallholders prepare for and mitigate these effects on their crops and income," she told reporters after attending the Negeri Sembilan Salam Agrikomoditi Programme officiated by Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim here today.
Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip recently said that the probability of the El Nino phenomenon reaching a very strong category, or Super El Nino, between October and December now exceeds 90 per cent.
Meanwhile, Noraini emphasised that the ministry will continue strengthening ground-level outreach to ensure smallholders receive government assistance and guidance to boost productivity, income, and value-added agri-commodity outputs.
She noted this approach is vital because many in the community remain unaware of government aid, training programmes, and application requirements.
Noraini said today's event served as a platform to bring government services and opportunities closer to the public and allowed the ministry to engage directly with the community to understand their needs.
Meanwhile, Ismail stressed that Negeri Sembilan must strengthen downstream activities, such as processing, packaging, branding, and distribution, to generate greater economic value locally rather than relying solely on raw material production.
He suggested expanding cluster-based farming models among growers and entrepreneurs to pool produce, share resources, and streamline marketing efforts.
He also called for wider adoption of suitable technologies, including mechanisation, to lower costs, boost yields, reduce reliance on manual labour, and simplify daily operations for smallholders.
"I also urge the youth to view the agri-commodity sector as a field offering a bright future. The government will continuously provide support and assistance to agri-commodity entrepreneurs," he said.
-- BERNAMA