By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 12: The federal government is retaining its allocation of RM53.46 million this year for subsidised agricultural inputs under the Hill Paddy Fertiliser and Pesticides Scheme (SBRPB) in Sarawak and Sabah, continuing its previous initiatives to support hill and upland paddy farmers in both states.
According to the national news agency Bernama, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, said the continued allocation is intended to boost productivity, enhance the economic resilience of hill and upland paddy farmers, and strengthen the agricultural sector in East Malaysia.
“This subsidy not only helps ease production costs for farmers but also serves as an incentive for them to continue cultivating hill and upland paddy sustainably, ultimately improving the livelihoods of local communities,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara today.
Responding to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Bobbey Ah Fang Suan on the impact of the initiative and its continuity, Arthur said the allocation last year benefited 33,597 farmers across Sarawak and Sabah, covering a total cultivation area of 27,457.69 hectares.
The subsidy was distributed in the form of agricultural inputs such as compound fertiliser, liquid urea, and herbicides.
Arthur also noted that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) is currently reviewing the potential inclusion of hill and upland paddy cultivation in the national rice Self-Sufficiency Ratio (SSR) for Sarawak and Sabah, given the large cultivation areas and significant output in both states.
“At present, hill and upland paddy are not factored into the national rice SSR, as these crops are traditionally grown using semi-traditional methods and rely on natural water sources,” he explained.
Last year, the total cultivation area for hill and upland paddy stood at 15,497.50 hectares in Sarawak and 11,960.19 hectares in Sabah. — DayakDaily
