Oil palm smallholders in Sungai Siput are appealing for urgent intervention and long-term solutions after wild elephant raids destroyed 80 hectares of crops.
SUNGAI SIPUT: Oil palm smallholders in Kampung Perlop 1 are appealing to the authorities to take immediate action to curb wild elephant intrusions that have destroyed crops across 80 hectares of land cultivated by 18 of them since early September, following the recent elephant attack in Bukit Bangkong, Chemor.
One of the smallholders, Mastura Yusuf, 65, said the ongoing threat had destroyed about 300 of the 600 oil palm trees planted on her 12-hectare plot over the past two years.
“My plantation has been raided at least four to five times over the past year. Each time the crops are destroyed, we have to use our own money to replant them, but our efforts are in vain when the elephants return and damage the newly sprouted trees,” she told Bernama when met at Kampung Perlop 1 here today.
Mastura said the repeated incidents had severely affected her income, as she relied entirely on her plantation to make a living.
Another smallholder, Muhammad Azlan Adenan, 42, said in the past two months, he had suffered losses exceeding RM20,000, in addition to bearing the cost of rehabilitating his crops following the destruction caused by the elephants on his six-hectare plantation.
“We have lodged reports, and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has also visited the area to monitor the situation, most recently two weeks ago. However, we sincerely hope that assistance and a long-term solution can be expedited,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Faiz Ahmad, 40, said the damage to his plantation suggested the presence of more than three elephants.
He said the affected smallholders would submit applications to the Property and Crop Damage Compensation Assistance Initiative (BKHT) to help cover their losses.