By Christopher Lidom and Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 6: Sarawak aims to be one of the country’s top rice producers by 2030, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Abang Johari said that the hybrid paddy seeds for the State’s pilot project for paddy plantations in Lubok Punggor, Gedong, has shown promising results as it has been successfully planted during the dry season and harvested three times a year.
“The cultivation also has the potential to yield between eight to 10 tonnes of paddy per hectare, compared to the current three to five tonnes per hectare.
“Therefore, cultivation on 10,000 hectares of land can produce up to 200,000 tonnes of paddy annually, increasing State’s self-sufficiency in rice from the current 34 per cent to 80 per cent,” he told a press conference after a work visit to paddy planting project site in Kampung Lubok Punggor in Gedong, today.
Abang Johari, who is also Gedong assemblyman, said that this can be achieve through research and application of new agricultural technologies to increase production.
“With the capability of rice production to be harvested three times in a year, this would also increase income for the rural farmers by three times which align with the State’s target of having a household income of RM15,000,” he added.
Among those present were Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-Ficord Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Federal Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang, Advisor to Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment Sarawak Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais and other distinguished guests. — DayakDaily
