Sabah plans padi mini estates on idle land to raise rice self-sufficiency from 19%, using high-yield seeds and RM230 million for irrigation upgrades.

KOTA BELUD: The Sabah State Government plans to implement a padi mini estate development system to increase the state’s rice self-sufficiency level.

Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the approach aims to optimise idle land and boost production systematically, with the current SSL at 19% of Sabah’s requirements.

“Our current SSL is about 19% of the self-sufficiency requirements for Sabah, based on the 24,000 hectares currently under cultivation,” he told reporters.

He aims to increase this by at least another 10% within the next two to three years by developing idle areas.

The proposal involves 404.6 hectares of idle land in Kota Belud, Sabah’s largest padi granary area covering about 7,000 hectares.

Similar plans are also slated for the Terusan Sapi area in Telupid to ensure sustainable industry development.

The high-yield TR8 padi seed variety will be used in the mini estates due to its potential of up to nine tonnes per hectare.

Some Sabah farmers have even achieved up to 12 tonnes per hectare through efficient management of this variety.

Jamawi added that the federal government has allocated RM230 million under the 13th Malaysia Plan for irrigation upgrades.

This funding aims to address frequent flooding that affects cultivation in the Kota Belud district.

“In Kota Belud alone, there are over 3,000 hectares of idle land suitable for padi fields that remain uncultivated due to irrigation problems,” he said.

He expressed confidence that about 1,000 hectares of this land could be developed with the received allocation.

 The Sun Malaysia