MELAKA: A padi field in Kampung Tengah Padang, Merlimau here has been identified as the site for the pioneer padi seed farming project, says Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.
The Melaka rural development, agriculture and food security committee chairman said the site is expected to yield the first seeds by early next year.
He said the site was chosen after the one in Kampung Sempang was found to be unsuitable for the project due to drainage and water source glitches.
"The process of levelling the site is ongoing," he said on Saturday (April 20) night after hosting a Hari Raya open house in his Merlimau constituency in Jasin here.
Dr Muhamad Akmal said the project was given the greenlight after a study by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) found the area to be suitable for planting padi seeds using the MR297 variation.
He said the new padi planting season would start next September involving a 42-hectare padi field site.
Dr Muhamad Akmal said the padi seed farm project would be able to solve the farmers’ difficulties in getting quality seeds for their farms.
“The state is confident that this farm will increase the self-sufficiency level of rice in 2026 to 15% while increasing the supply of rice in Melaka,“ he added.
