Sunday 31 January 2010, Bandar Seri Begawan – Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, yesterday morning marked the success of the first phase of a pilot paddy plantation project of rice varieties from China with a harvest at the paddy field of Lot Sengkuang in Mukim Labi. Also joining the Minister is the Chinese Ambassador in Brunei, Tong Xiaoling.

The trial plantation of rice varieties brought in from China is a collaborative project between Wen Zhong AgroScience and Technology, Brunei Darussalam and Guangxi Wangwangda Farmers Company Limited, People's Republic of China aimed to identify potential high yielding rice varieties to be developed in the country.

The minister at the harvest ceremony yesterday said despite various threats such as weather conditions and pests to the plantation, he is pleased with the outcome after three months since the plantation kicked off.

The pilot plantation was carried out for research purposes and to test the rice's compatibility with the soil and climate of the country in the hope of finding suitable rice seeds for Brunei for mass paddy plantation.

It is also conducted as a major push towards reaching self-sufficiency in rice production and attaining food security for the people of Brunei. The nation aims to increase the domestic production of rice to 30 per cent of the national aggregate demand by 2015.

The trial paddy plantation will also see to the opening and development of about 700 hectares of two crops planting under the management of Wen Zhong AgroScience and Technology.

The minister is greatly involve in the increase of rice production of Brunei after he personally headed a delegation to visit Yulin City in Guangxi in October last year where they visited the rice planting bases in Guangxi under the guidance of the Yulin municipal government. The visit spearheaded the cooperation and resulted in the joint project.

After conducting numerous soil tests and research, it is determined that the pilot project of two crops will be conducted in Labi, which is also known as `Home of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry', in particular on the land owned by Dato Haji Mohd Kassim bin Haji Johan.

The planting last October saw the introduction of four new rice varieties from China. Local varieties were also used. In the future, large scale planting of rice varieties will be determined according to the growing conditions of the varieties, the output and other factors.

Besides aiming for large scale rice production and responding to His Majesty's government's aspiration, the implementation of this rice experimental project also wishes to increase cooperation with Chinese authoritative unit.

Due to the acidic soil, insect, pests, climate and other factors in the Sultanate, local rice varieties planted by local farmers generally can only be harvested once a year with an average output of about 2-3 tonnes of rice per hectare.

The joint pilot project led by Wen Zhong Agro-Science and Technology also conducted in-depth research to increase the production.

Based on the pilot plantation, it is expected that the number of harvest can be increased to twice a year with an average output of 6-8 tonnes per hectare.These measures will not only greatly raise the production quantity of rice but will also increase the income of local farmers. With this, it would be possible to upgrade the rice planting industry of Brunei Darussalam to an industry with promising long term development.

From the result of Phase One, the data and reports will be compiled and be used to spearhead the development of another 700 hectares of land for the large-scale rice plantation.

With the opening and development of the 700 hectare of land, Wen Zhong Agro-Science and Technology will also provide training courses and exchange of planting methods with the local farmers in the attempt to increase the output of rice and assist local farmers to boost rice production in the country.

After the harvesting ceremony, the minister and delegation from the Ministry, Agriculture Department and representatives from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China and the companies involved in the project were led to the Kg Labi multipurpose hall for a brief presentation of the plantation project.  ~ Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin



Related News : First Harvest Of Rice Trial Plantation Begins



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Writer: Liza Mohd
Picture: BT/Hj Mohd Ali
Website: http://www.brudirect.com

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