KUALA LUMPUR: The government intends to adopt the successful agricultural methods used in Sekinchan, Selangor, which have significantly boosted rice production, in other states such as Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, and Terengganu.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the move was necessary as rice production in these states remains significantly lower than in Sekinchan.
“The key issue is productivity, as the gap between rice yields in Selangor and Kedah is too wide. We must work to increase production.
“We are looking into replicating several practices from Sekinchan, including the use of high-yield paddy seeds, fertilisers, and improved management techniques. This may involve artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology, similar to what Sime Darby has implemented in the palm oil industry,” he said during Ministerial Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from Mohammed Taufiq Johari (PH-Sungai Petani), who inquired about how AI technology and initiatives such as the Ala Sekinchan Large-Scale Smart Paddy Field (SMART SBB) and high-yield paddy seeds could enhance rice productivity.
Through SMART SBB, paddy cultivation has become more systematic, leveraging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and transplanters. This approach has resulted in an increase in rice yields, with production rising from 3.75 metric tonnes to six or seven metric tonnes per hectare.
Earlier, Anwar announced that the government had approved RM1 billion for the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) to launch a programme aimed at boosting rice production, set to be introduced later this month.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Kedah government for its cooperation in land management efforts to enhance rice productivity.
Regarding the recent reports of rice supply fraud in Kedah, the Prime Minister said that he had entrusted the enforcement agencies with investigating the issue, and that action would be taken if sufficient evidence and information were found.
Three days ago, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has alleged that the repackaging of local white rice as imported rice is the reason for the ongoing shortage of the local grain in the market.
