PASIR PUTEH, Jan 28: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) aims to implement the Sekinchan-style SMART Large-Scale Padi Field (SMART SBB) practice nationwide on approximately 150,000 hectares of padi planting areas by 2030.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, said the targeted area constituted one-third of Malaysia’s total estimated 600,000 hectares allocated for padi fields.
Mohamad Sabu said he would discuss with top government officials in Sarawak and Sabah to turn the two states into the country’s “second rice bowl”.
Speaking to reporters after launching the SMART SBB Ala Sekinchan Project in Bendang Tok Ajam, here today, Mohamad Sabu said RM10 million had been allocated for Sabah and Sarawak to open up more land for padi cultivation to achieve Malaysia’s goal of becoming a rice exporter by 2030.
“The introduction of the SMART SBB Ala Sekinchan project in Sabah and Sarawak would enable the two states to contribute towards our rice exports. We need to produce a minimum of seven tonnes per hectare and right now we are only getting less than five tonnes per hectare,” he said.
According to the minister, the yield in Kedah has increased from seven tonnes to 11 tonnes per hectare while in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, it was only four tonnes.
Mohamed Sabu said achieving a minimum yield of seven tonnes per hectare would position Malaysia as a rice exporter, leveraging on the available land area and enhanced productivity due to modern agricultural practices.
— BERNAMA