PEKAN: The country has lost more than 20,000 hectares of padI fields across the country, says Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
He said they have been developed for housing or other development projects, while some were left abandoned.
"We have lost more than 20,000 hectares of rice fields across the country, which have been converted to other developments, whether commercial or residential.
"In addition, there are also abandoned rice fields because many younger families have not continued their rice farming and have migrated to the city," he said while inspecting the project to reopen abandoned rice fields in Pahang Tua here on Friday (April 3).
In the meantime, he called on any company with the help of government agencies to develop abandoned rice fields by entering into a rental agreement with the landowners.
For example, he said that PLS Group had entered into an agreement to rent abandoned rice fields in Pahang Tua here to be redeveloped.
He said that indirectly, elderly rice farmers who are unable to cultivate their land will benefit, apart from reducing the number of abandoned rice fields.
The project to reopen abandoned rice fields in Pahang Tua involves an area of 200 hectares with 100 out of 548 farmers participating in the programme through PLS.
Meanwhile, PLS group project supervisor Dr Hushaimi Ismail said that through the rice field re-opening project, his company had cleared about 200 hectares (500 acres) of abandoned land, with an area of 72 hectares (180 acres) under cultivation.
He said the company had started clearing the abandoned land since Chinese New Year through a six-season rental agreement with farmers here.
Through the agreement, he said farmers could get their produce and their abandoned rice fields could be better managed. - Bernama
