The villagers are seen giving their thumbs-up after receiving the fertiliser.



Ismail Sabri (fourth right) and others join in the harvesting of hill padi.



TEBEDU: Farmers planting hill padi in Kampung Gahat Mawang here are enjoying a rising harvest due to new technology developed from a research conducted by Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) and Department of Agriculture (DOA).

Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Farmers Organisations), Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran said through the new technology, padi production in the area has increased from 743kg per hectare to 1,428 kg or 97.5 per cent.

“Through the new technology and use of fertiliser and weedicide, padi production in the area has increased – this technology is meant to help farmers,” Entri said at the launching of fertiliser and weedicide subsidy scheme at Kampung Gahat Mawang here yesterday.

Entri said the research started in 2009 was funded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The event was launched by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and graced by Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong.

Entri said Kampung Gahat Mawang ran the pilot project for the new technology on a 15 hectare plot of land where farmers cultivated the land permanently for hill padi.

A similar project was carried out at Kampuung Sepadah in Bau on a 4.5 hectare land where the padi production increased from 1,200 kg per hectare to 2,781kg or 111. 6 per cent.

He hoped the subsidy provided by the government would help farmers increase production to improve their socio-economy.

On hill padi production, Entri said the state produced 47,666 metric tonnes from 63,818 hectares of land in 2012.

In 2013, production increased to 48,027 metric tons from 62,945 hectares of land.