KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) has no plans to import seeds from abroad due to higher yields from local rice varieties, said its Deputy Minister Datuk Ahmad Hamzah.
He said that currently MAFI had produced some early-maturing varieties that could be harvested within 110 days and produced up to seven to 10 tonnes of rice per hectare.
“Varieties such as MR253, MR220, MR303 and MR307 produce higher yields, and the purchase of seeds from outside the country is not recommended for now,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat here today.
He said this in his reply to a question from Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PAS-Sik) who wanted clarification on whether MAFI intends to import paddy seeds from countries that are more advanced in rice production such as Thailand to ensure sufficient rice supply to meet the country’s needs.
Ahmad said that factors including types of soil and weather conditions in other countries that are different from here also affect the yields, therefore, imported seeds from outside do not guarantee similar yields.
Replying to the original question on the status of research and implementation of the practice of three growing seasons per year as well as the impact on rice stocks and national food security, Ahmad said that currently the practice is not encouraged due to several factors.
Among them, based on the study conducted, the practice does not increase yields for farmers despite the increase in production cost, attacks of diseases due to planting outside the existing season and financial burden to the government due to the provision of input and output subsidies, he said.
He also said that the country’s paddy cultivation is twice a year in the granary areas and once a year outside the granary areas.
— Bernama
