THE Department of Irrigation and Drainage Sarawak (DID Sarawak) is currently rehabilitating two existing DID schemes in order to develop a conducive environment for paddy production and to avoid further reduction of paddy land size.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the two existing DID schemes include Tanjung Purun Scheme and Kampung Pueh Scheme which cover an area of 200 hectares with a cost of RM3.8 million under 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
“Another project that has been approved for infrastructure upgrading by DID Sarawak is the rehabilitation of Mid-Sadong I Scheme with a cost of RM30 million involving more than 500 hectares and at present it is at planning stage.
“In this scheme, about 100 hectares at Kampung Lubok Punggor will be devoted for the cultivation of specialty rice, ‘Biris’.
“The development of this project is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2023,” he said in his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday.
In addition, Dr Rundi said a total of 90 hectares of existing paddy area in Lebor, Serian Division will also be rehabilitated by the Department of Agriculture Sarawak (DOA) of which to date, 30 hectares have been developed. Another area at Abok, Pantu in Sri Aman Division, which covers an area of 120 hectares is also being planned for upgrading under 12MP.
“This is among the long-term solutions to reduce the state’s over-reliance on imported rice,” he said.
On another note, he said, the current annual domestic production can only meet 38 per cent of Sarawak’s requirement, and in order to meet our rice demand, Sarawak had to import 146,000 metric tonnes of rice in 2021, valued at RM387 million.
“However, to avoid unexpected shortage of rice supply in the global market, BERNAS keeps 33,200 metric tonnes of rice as stockpile and another 20,000 metric tonnes as trading stock, which could sustain five months’ supply, since monthly commercial demand of rice in Sarawak is estimated at about 10,000 metric tonnes,” said Dr Rundi.
