Business

Tuesday May 13, 2008

Sarawak to allocate more land for padi


KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak state will plant an additional 7,000 hectares (17,297 acres) of padi in five years to help the country move closer to self-sufficiency in the staple as prices rise to records.

The new fields should produce at least nine tonnes of rice per hectare, Chief Minister of Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud told reporters yesterday. An additional 20,000 hectares are available for rice, though they haven't been approved for planting, he said.

Malaysia produces about 1.6 million tonnes of rice a year, enough to meet about 70% of annual demand. The Government wants to boost output by expanding cropping and raising yields as importers such as the Philippines struggle to secure supplies.

Sarawak has asked the Federal Government for RM3bil until 2015 for the rice-growing programme.

Sarawak is also seeking to partner with the Sarawak state government and Brunei to develop a 300-megawatt hydroelectric plant in the Lembang area, Taib said. – Bloomberg

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Sarawak identifies 7,000ha for rice bowl plan

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