PETALING JAYA: The agriculture and food security ministry intends to explore saltwater rice cultivation methods to increase the country’s rice production.
Bernama reported that minister Mohamad Sabu’s office held discussions with experts, including professors in China, on the technology to cultivate saltwater rice in Malaysia.
“We are still in the early stages of discussion so that seaside areas do not go to waste. We can use it in future with technology.
“We will ask the opinion of foreign experts on how they have succeeded. They did not succeed in one day – China did a four-year study.
“There is no reason why Malaysia will not have enough rice in the future,” he said at a press conference after an engagement session with Harumanis Kodiang Entrepreneurs at the Harumanis Farm Collection Centre in Jitra, Kedah, today.
Mohamad added that the issue of irrigation was among the factors for the low yield of rice production in Kedah compared to Sekinchan, Selangor.
“You also can’t do rice cultivation part-time. In Sekinchan, rice farmers do it full-time.
“In Kedah, we want padi farmers to treat it like that as well. However, we can’t blame the farmers either because a good irrigation system is also important.
“We cannot survive on five tonnes per hectare. In Sekinchan, we get eight to 10 tonnes per hectare.
“If we get six tonnes or more, we’ll have enough rice to fulfil Malaysia’s needs. Farmers are now taking up this matter seriously.”
Mohamad said the method of planting rice on a large-scale, like in Sekinchan, can be practised by rice farmers in Kedah.
They can increase padi production with the help and cooperation of the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) and Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas), he added. - FMT
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