By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, May 27: Sarawak’s rice production dropped significantly to an estimated 51,000 metric tonnes in 2024, forcing the State to import around 192,000 metric tonnes of rice valued at RM511 million to meet local demand.
This major shortfall pushed Sarawak’s rice self-sufficiency level (SSL) down to 21 per cent in 2024, compared to 32 per cent in 2023, when the State produced about 71,000 metric tonnes of rice, said Minister for Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development, Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom during his ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) here today.
“Rice is more than just a staple food for our people, it is a symbol of our heritage, our resilience, and our future.
“For the people of Sarawak, ensuring an adequate supply of rice is not only vital for daily sustenance but also crucial for socio-economic stability.
“With the population projected to reach approximately 3.2 million by 2030, Sarawak will require to produce around 440,000 metric tonnes of paddy equivalent to 260,000 metric tonnes of rice to meet our domestic demand,” he said.
To address the current gap and achieve future targets, Dr Rundi, who is also Kemena assemblyman, outlined a three-pronged strategy focused on expanding paddy cultivation areas, improving productivity, and encouraging private sector collaboration.
As of May 2025, a total of 11,700 hectares has been identified for paddy cultivation. Of this, eight large-scale project areas on State Land have been approved for development by the Sarawak Paddy and Rice Taskforce, covering 2,000 hectares across Kuching, Serian, Sri Aman, Kapit, and Limbang divisions.
“Moving forward, my Ministry will continue to identify additional suitable State land, with the goal of expanding dedicated paddy cultivation areas to at least 3,300 hectares by the end of 2025,” said the minister.
Dr Rundi also noted that over the past six months, his ministry has identified 28 potential Native Customary Rights (NCR) land sites across Sarawak, covering a total area of 9,700 hectares.
“Developing NCR land requires careful negotiation and strong community involvement. These engagements are crucial to ensure that development moves forward with full consent and collaboration of landowners. To date, we have successfully conducted 24 dialogues and outreach sessions involving approximately 1,200 participants across Sarawak.
The minister further said: “According to recent agricultural statistics, the number of registered paddy farmers has dropped significantly from approximately 72,800 in 2022 to 48,000 in 2024.
“In response to this trend, I strongly urge farmers in Sarawak to actively participate in paddy cultivation.
“I also call upon the younger generation of Sarawak to embrace modern and efficient farming methods for paddy production.”
In terms of productivity, Dr Rundi highlighted that the government is upgrading irrigation infrastructure and facilitating the supply of high-yielding seed varieties.
He noted that a 140-hectare Stumbin Paddy Seed Farm is under development to ensure local certified seed production.
“To preserve our agricultural identity, we are also conserving traditional rice varieties, which are valued for their premium quality and can yield up to 3.5 metric tonnes per hectare,” he added.
Dr Rundi stressed that the success of Sarawak’s rice self-sufficiency ambitions depends on multi-stakeholder collaboration.
“Achieving self-sufficiency is a shared commitment that demands active involvement, collaboration, and continuous support from all relevant government agencies, stakeholders, and most importantly the people of Sarawak.
“Through unity, collective effort, and with God’s will, we can successfully achieve our goals in the paddy development industry for economic resilience and food security,” he said. — DayakDaily
