Bario rice production set to increase next year, says Jabu

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CONSTRUCTION of the Bario Rice Industry Development project under National Key Economic Area (NKEA) Entry Point Project (EPP) 11 is scheduled to be completed on Dec 30 this year.

Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu disclosed that of the 200 hectares of paddy land in the project area, about 140 hectares were now being planted with paddy during the present season, resulting in an expected increase in Bario rice production during harvest time in January next year.

“Bario rice production in the project area from now on will be jointly managed by my ministry and anchor company Bario Ceria Sdn Bhd, which is responsible for infrastructure maintenance as well as provision of farm mechanisation and marketing services.

“My ministry through the Agriculture Department will provide services such as farm input and mechanisation subsidies, quality seed production, crop protection, agriculture extension and Bario Rice Certification Scheme,” he said in his winding-up speech yesterday.

When the entire project area is fully cultivated next year, Bario rice production is expected to increase by about 3 to 4 times to around 300 metric tons a year, he added.

On the NKEA Smallholders’ Oil Palm Programme, the deputy chief minister pointed out that the state was allocated RM168.48 million for 18,720 hectares of oil palm planting next year.

“To ensure that this programme continues to progress smoothly, the planting of oil palm will now focus on titled land as well as Native Customary Rights (NCR) land that had been surveyed and gazetted under the NCR perimeter survey initiative.” Meanwhile, under the NKEA Rubber Smallholders Replanting Project implemented by the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda), RM67.5 million had been approved for rubber replanting on 5,000 hectares of land next year.