KUCHING: The two-seasons-per-year paddy, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) MRQ98 Paddy Variety was officially launched yesterday.
The launching ceremony was officiated at by Assistant Minister for Native Land Development, Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn who represented the Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at Kampung Plaman Payang, Siburan, near Kuching.
The MRQ98 (Varieti Padi Mardi Warna 98) is the second research product of Paddy from Mardi after the first edition, namely MRQ16.
“Mardi has initiated their planting project of new MRQ98 with 4.4 hectare in Kpg Plaman Payang which is estimated to produce around 4.5 to 4.6 tonnes per hectare,
“It will definitely generate high income to the villagers. The new paddy seeds are also resistant from “Karah Tangkai” and “Red Virus” diseases,
“Instead, the maturity of this new paddy is only 103 days after it was planted which is suitable for two seasons in a year,” said Uggah whose text of which his speech was read by Sagah.
Meanwhile, when interviewed, Sagah said that this new paddy have the high anti-oxidant which is good for health.
“It is also contains the other important nutrients such as low cholesterol, high iron and magnesium as well as a food fiber sources, protein and potassium,” said Sagah.He also added that this initiative is part of the efforts to achieve the high level of food supply in State, particularly for rice products.
“With this product, we also can do the industry processing products such as biscuits, cake, baby milk powder and others,” he disclosed.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Dato Anthony Nogeh Gumbek in his speech urged MARDI to make more researches on local products in future.
“Produce more new varieties especially the one that matures very fast, so that most of our farmers can do at least two harvesting seasons in a year.
“If the productivity is high, at the same time we also will increase the income of our farmers. Each variety can take about more than 10 years for research,” said Nogeh.
Also held was the presentation of paddy seeds assistance to three villages namely Kpg Plaman Payang, Kpg Skuduk and Kpg Chupak whereby each was represented by the respective village heads. Agriculture input assistance was also handed over to eight recipients for the new MRQ98.
Present during the ceremony was Mardi Director-General Datuk Dr Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor.
