KUCHING: Sarawak needs 17,500ha of new land equipped with infrastructure for padi cultivation to achieve 100% self-sufficiency level (SSL), the Sarawak state assembly was told today.
Sarawak’s food industry, commodity and regional development minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the new area could produce approximately 392,000 tonnes of padi.
He said his ministry had identified new areas to cultivate high-yielding padi varieties.
“The new areas are located in Sri Aman, Kapit, Mukah and Limbang.
“To increase padi production, the government also needs to rehabilitate and upgrade some of the existing department of irrigation and drainage (DID) schemes throughout Sarawak,” he said when winding-up the debate on his ministry.
Rundi said, as of 2023, Sarawak’s total padi production was about 118,000 tonnes or 32% SSL.
“To achieve SSL of 60%, an amount of RM1.2 billion is required to establish and upgrade the padi infrastructure which consists of 4,500ha of new area and 8,800ha of existing DID schemes.
“However, to achieve 100% SSL, 17,500ha of new area and 8,800ha of existing DID schemes are required with an estimated cost of RM4.68 billion,” he said.
