By Shikin Louis & Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 22: Paddy planting sites should be gazetted to prevent them being converted into lucrative crops and ensure food security, says Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak (M-FICORD) Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
He noted that many paddy fields in Sarawak have been converted to lucrative farming for oil palm and other crops.
“If possible, the identified areas (for paddy) should be gazetted so that there won’t be a switch.
“If not, they plant paddy for this year (but) no more paddy planting next year. The land is converted into oil palm plantation or something else.
“In order for us to ensure food security, this is quite crucial so that we would be able to make sure that the identified areas for paddy cultivation remain for paddy cultivation,” he said during Sarawak Agrofest 2023 held at Celebration Square, Petra Jaya here today.
He also mentioned that his ministry has so far identified paddy areas totalling about 14,000 hectares out of the required 20,000 hectares for paddy cultivation in Sarawak including 100-hectare site in Kampung Mujat, Serian as well as 1,000 hectares site at Selepong-Panggil and Issu-Gayau in Sri Aman.
Among those in attendance were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Sarawak Minister of Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk John Sikie Tayai, former Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development (Food Industry) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development (Commodity and Regional Development) Maclaine@Martin Ben, and M-FICORD permanent secretary Sirai Daha. — DayakDaily
