JITRA – The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry intends to explore saltwater rice cultivation methods in an effort to increase the country’s rice production in the future.
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said his office had held discussions with relevant experts including professors in China regarding the technology that could be used for producing rice in this country.
“We will ask the opinion of experts from outside on how they succeeded…they did not succeed in one day. They (China) did a four-year study.
“There is no reason why Malaysia will not have enough rice in the future,” he said.
Mohamad said this at a press conference after an engagement session with Harumanis Kodiang entrepreneurs at the Harumanis Farm Collection Centre, Kg Pida 3, Kodiang near here today.
Mohamad added that issues surrounding irrigation and care are among factors for low yield of rice production in Kedah compared to Sekinchan in Selangor.
“You can’t do rice cultivation part-time…in Sekinchan, rice farmers do it as a permanent job. “In Kedah, we want to go in that direction.
“(However) we can’t blame the farmers either, because the irrigation system is also important.
“We cannot survive on five tonnes per hectare. In Sekinchan, we get between eight to 10 tonnes per hectare.
“If we get six tonnes or more, we have enough rice in Malaysia. Now farmers have taken this seriously,” he said.
He said the method of planting rice through a large-scale scheme such as in Sekinchan can be practised by rice farmers in Kedah in an effort to produce additional rice with the help and cooperation of the Muda Agricultural Development Authority and Bernas. – Bernama, May 28, 2023
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