Utilise technology to boost rice production

Utilise technology to boost rice production

Rice planting: If Brunei wants to be self-sufficient in rice production, it should utilise high-yielding seeds and machineries to boost production. Picture: BT file
Hadi DP Mahmud
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, July 26, 2008

LOCAL rice farmers should be making use of high-yielding seeds and mechanised farming to fast-track Brunei's scant production levels of the staple food towards self-sufficiency, the country's biggest rice distributor said.

The high-yielding seeds cost more than the pusu seeds traditionally used by most local rice farmers, but the resulting crops can be harvested two to three times a year, said Chai Yum Fatt, the general manager of Asia Enterprise.

A shift in the use of seeds by the majority of Brunei's rice farmers could increase Brunei's self-sufficiency in rice which stood at a paltry 3.2 per cent last year in a shorter span of time, said Chai.

"With five acres of land you can produce eight to 10 tonnes of crops using the high-quality seeds," he said. Pusu seeds, according to Chai, can only produce 2.5 tonnes of harvest from five acres of land.

Asia Enterprise, the sole commercial venture in the country's agricultural sector, acquires the seeds from China and Taiwan, which cost about US$2.80 per kilo. Chai said the company is currently testing out six to seven different types of high-yielding seeds since last year to determine which would grow best in Brunei soil and produce the best results for Brunei consumers.

"The seeds that we have tested tend to produce shorter crops, which in our opinion is easier to harvest. The pusu seeds produce taller crops, which are prone to damage from strong winds," he said.

Only a minority of the local farmers are testing out new types of seeds to boost production, he added.

Datin Hjh Hazizah Hj Adam, who has been running a rice farm in Labi, Belait District since 1995, said she took a risk by planting hybrid seeds provided by the Department of Agriculture three years ago.

"I think not many people are planting these seeds because they are unsure of the results that it will bring, whether the consumers would actually like the finished product," said Datin Hjh Hazizah, who now has a 30-acre field and grows both types of seeds.

"People have been buying both my products from my stall at the Sumbangsih Mulia Complex, and they seem to like it. Both types don't taste the same but are not too different. You just have to know how to promote your products, and always refer to the Agricultural Department for advice and support," she said.

When she first started out, no machinery was used to plough the fields, cut the grass or spray pesticides over the crops. Once she realised that her business was about to get serious, she applied for a grant for subsidies from the agricultural department for farming machinery to boost production. Fertilisers and pesticides are also subsidised by the government, said Datin Hjh Hazizah.

According to Chai, mechanised farming is uncommon amongst local farmers, where the use of technology is limited to some family businesses run by retirees and ex-army officers.

"There are some who don't believe in technology, since most of those involved in the sector are of the older generation. Since long ago they haven't been using fertilisers and such, let alone technology," explained Datin Hj Hazizah. "There are quite a few who are planting rice just to pass the time during their retirement years."

Brunei's agricultural sector recently received a wake-up call when His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam warned in his 62nd birthday titah that the Sultanate must step up agricultural production and make food security a priority.

The monarch's warning comes as global food prices rise, which earlier this year sparked riots and protests in some countries, and restrictions on food exports by others. According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), agriculture accounted for less than one per cent of Brunei's nominal gross domestic product in 2006. The country also imports more than 80 per cent of its food, the WTO said.

The Brunei Times