BINTULU, July 13 – Sarawak is willing to spend a huge amount of money on padi cultivation to ensure self-sufficiency in the production of the staple food, said Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the state government has identified 3,000 hectares for padi cultivation, namely Tanjung Bijat, Stumbin and Lingga areas in Sri Aman; Gedong, Simunjan; and Lundu.
Based on a cultivation model developed by Universiti Putra Malaysia, those areas could produce up to 240,000 tonnes of padi per annum, he said.
“That means our production of rice is there. We don’t have to import rice but if you want to include Limbang-Lawas Valley plus the areas in Miri, we have excess. Then we share with Peninsular Malaysia.
“Then the whole country will have sufficient rice. This is our target as far as padi is concerned and the Sarawak government is willing to invest whatever money we have in this padi objective,” he said on Friday.
