KUALA LUMPUR: The government intends to adopt successful agricultural methods used in Sekinchan, Selangor, which have significantly boosted rice production, in other states such as Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the move is necessary as rice production in these states remains significantly lower than in Sekinchan, arguably home to Malaysia’s most productive rice fields when measured on a tonne per hectare basis.
“The key issue is productivity, as the gap between rice yields in Selangor and Kedah is too wide. We must work to increase production.
“We are looking into replicating several practices from Sekinchan, including the use of high-yield padi seeds, fertilisers and improved management techniques. This may involve artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology, similar to what Sime Darby has implemented in the palm oil industry,” he said during Ministerial Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Bernama reported.
Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from Mohammed Taufiq Johari (PH-Sungai Petani), who asked about how AI technology and initiatives such as the Ala Sekinchan Large-Scale Smart Paddy Field (SMART SBB) and high-yield padi seeds could enhance rice productivity.
Through SMART SBB, padi cultivation has become more systematic, leveraging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and transplanters. This approach has resulted in an increase in rice yields, with production rising from 3.75 tonnes to six or seven metric tonnes per hectare.
Yields in Sekinchan consistently surpass the 10-tonne mark, and sometimes, reach up to 12 tonnes per hectare.
Earlier, Anwar announced that the government had approved RM1bil for the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) to launch a programme aimed at boosting rice production, set to be introduced later this month.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Kedah government for its cooperation in land management efforts to enhance rice productivity.
Regarding recent reports of rice supply fraud in Kedah, the Prime Minister said he had entrusted the enforcement agencies with investigating the issue, and that action would be taken if sufficient evidence and information were found.
Four days ago, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor alleged that the repackaging of local white rice as imported rice is the reason for the ongoing shortage of the local grain in the market.
