322,600ha of land in Sabah suitable for paddy
Published on: Monday, December 24, 2018
Kuala Lumpur: Sabah has 322,600 hectares of land suitable for paddy cultivation based on a study by the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Salahuddin Ayub (pic) said Sabah has the advantage of large arable land suitable for the cultivation of food crops. To step up the development of paddy and rice industry in Sabah, he said, the ministry has provided several incentives for paddy farmers to increase their production and income.
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He said the Farmer's Organisation Authority (LPP) provided fertilisers, pesticides and subsidies for paddy farmers under the Federal Government Paddy Fertiliser Scheme (SBPKP) and Paddy Production Incentive Scheme (SIPP), whereas Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) offered subsidy of RM300 per tonne per season limited to 2.43 hectares for the sale of paddy. Salahuddin said this in response to Senator Datuk Yong Wui Chung's question on the ministry's efforts to make use of the large land mass and fertile soil in Sabah to step up the cultivation of paddy and cattle farming to enhance national food security and reduce dependency on imported food during the Dewan Negara sitting here. Apart from paddy fields, he said, the Federal Government through LPP has provided subsidy for hill paddy farmers under the Hill Paddy Fertilisers and Pesticides Subsidy (SBRPB) scheme since 2015. "This assistance is given to eligible farmers with a maximum paddy plantation of 10.12 hectares or 25 acres who comply with the criteria.
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"Eligible farmers will receive RM 886.30 for a hectare of hill paddy cultivation."He added that the Federal Government had also initiated 5,000 hectares of paddy cultivation in Kota Belud that was managed by the Integrated Agriculture Development Area (IADA) since 2013.
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Furthermore, Salahuddin said the Department of Agriculture Sabah has been rehabilitating idle paddy fields in a programme funded by the Federal Government to restart production. Under this programme, he said the Government has offered assistance in the form of land clearing, construction of drainage, irrigation and culvert, fertilisation, cultivation, provision of quality paddy seeds and agricultural inputs as well as technical advice. "The aids are given in the first growing season only. Our target is to rehabilitate 500 hectares during the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP)."On the other hand, Salahuddin said the Third Sabah Agriculture Policy (2017-2026) has outlined the goals to enhance food sufficiency through the increase of ruminant livestock population by one per cent every year and to source from local livestock supply up to 50 per cent in five years. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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