Selangor is strengthening its food reserves to complement federal stockpiles.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the Federal Government currently had 290,000 tonnes of rice stockpiled, while Selangor had 8,000 tonnes.
He said the state’s existing stock met only 15% to 20% of current requirements.
“We want to reach a resilience level of between three and six months, but this is a long-term process,” he said in reply to Nushi Mahfodz (PN-Semenyih) who asked on food supply resilience during the Selangor State Assembly sitting at Bangunan Dewan Negeri in Shah Alam yesterday.
Amirudin said padi reserves would be built up gradually.
Food reserves, he said, extended beyond staple foods such as rice to include protein sources like meat and fish.
“Through relevant agencies, padi lots are being leased to ensure stockpiled rice can be replenished and future supplies secured,” he said.
Meanwhile, Selangor infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said new machinery and agricultural technology would be introduced under the second phase of the Selangor Agro Transformation Plan.
The machinery, including rice transplanters and combine harvesters, would help reduce costs and improve productivity, he said.
“Previously, farmers used large machines, causing significant amounts of padi to fall to the ground, resulting in losses of nearly 10%.
“With newer, more suitable combine or mini harvesters, these losses can be reduced to 3%, greatly improving productivity,” Izham said.
He was responding to Dr Mohd Zamri Mohd Zainuldin (PN-Sungai Burong) who asked on transformation in the padi industry.
Izham said the state was also identifying more resilient padi varieties with greater disease tolerance and resistance.
“Among the varieties being developed are Putra seeds by Universiti Putra Malaysia.”
He said local farmers’ organisations have also been asked to offer special rental rates for the machinery following the subsidies given by the state.
Izham added that the state submitted an application exceeding RM1bil to the Federal Government last year to upgrade or build drainage systems for padi fields in Selangor’s north-west area.
Of the amount, he said, more than RM500mil was for land acquisition.
“We are working to secure federal support to improve drainage systems and pump houses, as well as build new retention ponds to meet water supply needs of padi fields in this area.”
