By Faez Hani, Goh De No

Kuala Belait – Belait has produced padi yield amounting to 392 metric tonnes, contributing to 28 per cent of the national padi yield last year, mainly supplied by the Agricultural Development Area of Lot Sengkuang, Mukim Labi, which produced 192 metric tonnes.

Meanwhile, Mukim Bukit Sawat has contributed 33 metric tonnes, Mukim Sukang 18 metric tonnes and Mukim Lumut contributed 12 metric tonnes, said the Minister of Industry and primary Resources.

Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar was speaking as guest of honour during the launching of the padi planting ceremony towards achieving. Self-sufficiency in rice production at the Lot Sengkuang Padi Field in Labi, Belait yesterday.

“The ministry has launched a strategy to increase rice production in the country by involving available entrepreneurs through traditional
management and large-scale commercial investment,” he said.

He further added that this will involve opening more areas to increase the total amount of land that is needed such as that which has been planned following short-term and medium-term. Plans. “New areas that have the potential to produce local padi in Belait include areas in Buau, ‘Cando’, Labi Baru and an added plot in Lot Sengkuang.”

He further noted that a number of foreign investors have expressed interest in cooperating with local entrepreneurs in assisting the country towards achieving self-sufficiency in rice production. The minister also urged local entrepreneurs to possess an open mind towards accepting new techniques that can help to increase rice production and in controlling pests and pestilence.

“Every advice and suggestion that is given by the Agricultural Department should be practised to produce padi that has quality and is sustainable,” he said. He went on to say that plans to achieve 20 per cent self-sufficiency in rice production by 2010 and 60 per cent by 2015, have and will be put into place. These programmes include increasing the padi fields infrastructure such as improving the main road, distribution and irrigation, planting different padi varieties that have high yield and capable of being harvested twice a year, increasing the agronomy management practices of the field, updating farming technologies and organising training and visits. Meanwhile, the targeted yield for Belait in contributing towards self-sufficiency of rice production in 2010 is 8.19 per cent which is about 2,458 metric tonnes and about 31 per cent in 2015, which is about 9156 metric tonnes.

Speaking as the representative for padi entrepreneurs in the Belait District, Hj Kamarhan Atma in an opening speech said that the padi field in Mukim Labi was established in the 60s while in the 80s, about 50 hectares of the Sengkuang Lot was bought by the Agricultural Department.

“Participation in the padi field has also reached more than 250 people where the produce increases every year,” he said. Also present at the ceremony was the Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab and the Permanent Secretary, Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid Hj Mohd Jaafar along with officials from the Agriculture Department. The ceremony saw the minister testing out the rice transplanter where he then proceeded to plant padi the traditional way with senior officials following suit. — Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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