Published on: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 |
Kota Kinabalu: A new padi seedling known as TQR2 (Tuaran Quality Rice 2) created through painstaking research and development has the potential of helping the State achieve its 60 per cent rice self-sufficiency level by year 2010.
The TQR2 is capable of generating yields of 14MT of rice per ha, which is more than the State's target of 10MT.
Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail is certain the high quality of TQR2 would help exceed the rice production target and reduce the State's reliance on imported rice.
"The Tuaran Agriculture Research Centre has generated TQR2 after six years of research and created a new and better breed that has more advantages over other types of padi seedlings.
"In terms of quality, TQR2 can boost rice production higher than the 10-metric tonne (MT) target per ha and is resistant to diseases particularly the main 'Rice Tungro' disease that commonly attacks paddy fields," he said.
Rahim was speaking after officiating the 25th annual meeting of the Sabah Agriculture Department from June 25-29 and simultaneously launching the new TQR2 paddy seedling here Monday.
The purpose of the four-day meeting is to re-evaluate and conduct a post mortem on the department's performance and to identify weaknesses and targets of progress that need to be achieved.
Also present were Sabah Agriculture Department Director Datuk Jurij Yaacob, his deputy, MC Ismail Salam, district agriculture officers and senior officers of the department.
Rahim described the creation of TQR2 as a milestone to farmers to improve rice production. However, the cultivation of the new seedlings would also depend on the weather, global warming and proper drainage in the fields.
"If we really cultivate using this TQR seedlings through the checklist from A to Z, I am positive the rice yield can reach between 14 and 16 MT per ha due to its high quality characteristics and capabilities.
"Farmers producing 7.5 MT per ha can attain the 60 per cent self-sufficiency level by 2010 but with this new type of seedling, we can be very optimistic that it (TQR2) can achieve the target in three years' time," he said.
Rahim said the creation of TQR2 is also timely as the three padi seedling centres in Kota Belud, Tenom and Papar are already in operation.
So far, he said, the department's research centre has created 17 types of quality paddy seedlings since 1962.
Meanwhile, Rahim is pleased with the department's overall performance last year that reached 93 per cent rate compared to the national figure of 84 per cent.
Rahim said the high percentage was based on the implementation of development projects and use of Federal and State funds channelled to the department.
"I am very proud with the department's progress in 2006 at 93 per cent which was higher than the national rate which proves the work culture of the department and good teamwork.
"However, the saddest part is that many of the department's officers have retired and there were 80 pivotal posts that need to be fulfilled. The Finance Ministry only approved 12 posts and the remaining ones were filled up through other sources," he said.
For this year, Rahim said the department is also targeting an overall performance of more than 90 per cent.
He said a post mortem on the department's overall performance thus far this year was not very encouraging as it only received State and Federal allocations in May and June.
He assured that the department will go full swing starting next month.
Rahim disclosed that his Ministry had used 15 per cent of the RM272 million allocated under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
No comments:
Post a Comment