NEW areas have been identified for tertiary infrastructure to provide for the cultivation of high-yielding paddy varieties.
In stating this, Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the new areas are located in Sri Aman, Kapit, Mukah and Limbang Division.
“To increase paddy production, the government also needs to rehabilitate and upgrade some of the existing Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID) schemes throughout Sarawak.
“Based on the Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, to achieve self-sufficiency level (SSL) of 60 per cent an amount of RM1.2 billion is required to establish and upgrade the paddy infrastructure which consists of 4,500 hectares of new areas and 8,800 hectares of existing DID schemes.
“However, to achieve 100 per cent SSL, 17,500 hectares of new areas and 8,800 hectares of existing DID schemes are required at an estimated cost of RM4.68 billion,” said Dr Rundi.
He said this when delivering his Ministerial winding-up speech at Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Tuesday (May 14).
To ensure sustainability and maintaining the genetic purity of Sarawak traditional rice varieties, Dr Rundi said the ministry has established zones for the selected varieties namely Bario in Bario Highland (GI), Adan in Ba’Kelalan (GI), Biris in Lubok Punggor, Samarahan (GI), Bajong in Lubok Nibong, Betong (GI), Wai and Saga in Daro and Mamut in Sri Aman.
“My Ministry is embarking on conserving traditional rice genetic resources by upgrading the existing paddy seed storage facility at Agriculture Research Centre Semongok to a proper and modern Gene Bank.
“This initiative is critical as a gene bank preserves plant genetic resources. The upgrading of the existing paddy seed storage facility will be done in phases.
“Phase 1 of the upgrading costing RM300,000 is expected to be completed by November 2024,” he said.
Dr Rundi said the ministry through Department of Agriculture Sarawak (DOA) is also collaborating with various research agencies, led by Malaysian Nuclear Agency, to develop a new high-yielding rice variety.
“The research funded by Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) will commence in October 2024 on a seven hectare land at Stumbin, Sri Aman,” he said.
