PUTRAJAYA: The implementation of the Precision Fertilisation Pilot Project in paddy fields is expected to boost yields in 20,371 hectares of selected paddy fields in Penang, Selangor, Terengganu and Kelantan.
Paddy and Rice Regulation director-general Datuk Azman Mahmood, said that this projection is achievable because the selection of areas for the project was based on soil fertility information and data provided by the Department of Agriculture through soil profiling.
He explained that, based on data provided, the selected areas will undergo soil treatment through precise fertilisation to ensure the optimal, conducive environment for rice cultivation, thereby increasing crop yields.
“What we aim to do is precise fertilisation, starting with soil treatment to ensure that the soil pH levels are around five and above before sowing the rice seeds.
“This has never been done by farmers before... it is crucial because as long as we do not adopt this approach, we cannot improve rice yield,” he told reporters during a special briefing here today.
Azman said that through the project involving 8,718 paddy planters, the government aims to increase rice yield in the designated areas by two tonnes per hectare over four planting seasons.
He also anticipated that participating farmers would benefit more from existing subsidies. The project will be carried out by contractors and service providers appointed through an open procurement process, with the cost of fertiliser application fully borne by the government.
“For farmers not involved in this pilot project, they will continue to receive existing agricultural input grants under the subsidies and incentives provided by the government as before,” he added.
The government has allocated RM100 million for the pilot project through the Budget 2024, covering the supply, delivery and application services for compound fertilisers, bio-fertilisers and organic fertilisers.
On July 17, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) reported that the allocation includes the supply, delivery and direct application services for compound, bio, and organic fertilisers in the four states of Penang, Selangor, Terengganu and Kelantan.
