KUCHING: Sarawak plans to expand padi cultivation areas as part of efforts to increase its rice self-sufficiency level (SSL), says Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi.
The state Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister said Sarawak would require 260,000 tonnes of rice to meet domestic demand by 2030, when the state's population was projected to reach 3.2 million.
However, he said rice production dropped from 71,000 tonnes in 2023 to 51,000 tonnes last year, with a corresponding decrease in SSL from 32% to 21%.
"This shortfall forced Sarawak to import around 192,000 tonnes of rice, valued at RM511mil," he said when winding up matters related to his ministry at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (May 27).
To achieve rice SSL, Dr Rundi said his ministry would boost rice production through expansion of padi cultivation areas, improving productivity and collaboration with the private sector.
He said 11,700ha of state land had been identified as of this month for padi cultivation.
"To date, eight project areas under state land have been approved for development by the Sarawak Paddy and Rice Board task force covering a total of 2,000ha in Kuching, Serian, Sri Aman, Kapit and Limbang.
"Moving forward, my ministry will continue to identify additional suitable state land to expand dedicated cultivation areas to at least 3,300ha by the end of this year," he said.
Dr Rundi also said the state Agriculture Department was facilitating the development of the Stumbin paddy seed farm in Sri Aman to produce certified padi seeds locally.
While waiting for the seed farm to be in production, he said Sarawak would source certified seed from Peninsular Malaysia and overseas, with stringent enforcement of biosecurity rules and regulations.
In addition, he said the ministry would continue to conserve Sarawak's traditional rice varieties, which were culturally significant and recognised for their health benefits and excellent eating quality.
"Efforts are ongoing to conserve their germplasm to ensure they are protected and can be sustainably used for future generations.
"With the right infrastructure and adoption of good agricultural practices, these varieties have the potential to yield up to 3.5 tonnes of padi per hectare," he said.
He added that traditional rice varieties could also fetch premium prices because of their unique characteristics and growing market demand, providing higher income potential for local farmers.
