KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry is in talks with the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) to open up 11,000ha of padi land in Lahad Datu, on the east coast of the state.
According to Sabah Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, a series of talks have been carried out with Felda Sahabat Sabah to develop the land located in the Dent Peninsula, some 499km southeast of here.
“We have carried out several discussions with Felda Sahabat to develop 11,000ha as a step to expand padi planting in the state.
“For the record, the Sabah Agriculture Department is in the midst of implementing a trial plot at the exact location,” said Jeffrey during his ministerial winding-up speech at the state assembly here today.
He said the move is a state ministry initiative under the Sabah Maju Jaya Plan to develop padi planting activities, adding that the state aims to achieve 60% self-sufficiency level (SSL) in rice by 2030.
Sabah’s padi SSL is at its lowest level at 22.81%, as the state relies on 320,000 metric tonnes of rice imports annually to help meet local consumption of 400,000 metric tonnes a year.
The state’s rice production currently stands at 74,000 metric tonnes a year.
Jeffrey said collaboration with the private sector and non-governmental organisations will be the focus to improve Sabah’s rice output.
He said the state cabinet had also approved the reestablishment of a new Sabah Padi Board last October. The board had wound up in 1981.
“The creation of this board is one of the strategies to improve rice output in Sabah,” he said.
Jeffrey also said that another 100ha would be developed for rice planting in a pilot project in Kota Marudu. – The Vibes, November 30, 2022
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