Sarawak needs 17,500 ha of new land for padi cultivation to achieve full self-sufficiency

KUCHING: Sarawak needs 17,500 hectares of new land equipped with infrastructure for padi cultivation to achieve 100 per cent rice self-sufficiency level (SSL), the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly was told today.

Sarawak Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said this new land area can produce approximately 392,000 tonnes of padi.

He said his ministry has identified new areas to be equipped with tertiary infrastructure, focusing mainly on the cultivation of high-yielding padi varieties.

“The new areas are located in Sri Aman, Kapit, Mukah and Limbang Divisions.

“To increase padi production, the government also needs to rehabilitate and upgrade some of the existing Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) schemes throughout Sarawak,” he said when winding up the debate on his ministry.

Dr Rundi said as of 2023, Sarawak’s total padi production is about 118,000 tonnes or 32 per cent SSL.

“To achieve SSL of 60 per cent an amount of RM1.2 billion is required to establish and upgrade the padi infrastructure which consists of 4,500 hectares of new area and 8,800 hectares of existing DID schemes.

“However, to achieve 100 per cent SSL, 17,500 hectares of new area and 8,800 hectares of existing DID schemes are required with an estimated cost of RM4.68 billion,” he said.