Tenom: The 67-hectare Sabah Satelit Benih Padi Sah (SSBPS) paddy field at Kampung Kalibatang Baru in Kemabong, near here, emerged one of Sabah’s most productive rice-growing areas, with the TR8 rice variety cultivated there capable of producing yields of up to 10 tonnes per hectare.
State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the achievement was based on production records over the past three years, demonstrating the area’s potential to increase the State’s rice productivity and production.
He said the high-production potential of the TR8 variety had also been demonstrated in several surrounding areas, including Kampung Kalibatang Lama, Kalibatang Baru, Kuala Tamani and Marais.
“Over the past three years, yields have reached 10 tonnes per hectare. This demonstrates the potential of TR8 rice in this area.
“From the samples I took, each panicle produced an average of between 185 and 195 grains, and based on calculations, its potential yield is around eight to nine tonnes per hectare. This is among the highest achievements in Sabah,” he told reporters during a harvesting programme at the SSBPS.
Jamawi said the achievement was highly encouraging compared with the highest yields of around five tonnes per hectare recorded in the Kota Belud Rice Bowl and 4.5 tonnes per hectare in the Trusan Sapi area.
He said the success demonstrated that Sabah’s interior areas had significant potential to increase rice productivity through proper crop management and good agricultural practices.
In this regard, he wants Kalibatang Baru and its surrounding areas to serve as reference and learning sites for other farmers in Sabah seeking to increase their yields to eight tonnes per hectare or more.
Jamawi said Sabah rice farmers did not necessarily need to seek exposure at major rice-growing areas in the peninsula, including Sekinchan, Perak or Kedah, as the ability to produce up to 10 tonnes per hectare had already been demonstrated in the area.
Meanwhile, Jamawi said the State Government continued to strengthen agricultural mechanisation in the area by approving two tractors, a ploughing machine and a harvesting machine for the use of farmers this year.
He said the assistance would be expanded next year through the provision of planting machines and small-scale harvesting machines specifically for areas that are difficult for large machinery to access.
In addition, six units of motorised mist sprayers are also planned to be provided to assist with fertiliser spraying and crop management.
SSBPS Block Head Roy Buing said farmers in the area appreciated the machinery assistance provided by the Government as it made field management work easier.
“We are very grateful to Datuk Jamawi for the allocation of machinery and hope more assistance can be provided in future to make farmers’ work easier and, in turn, increase rice production in this area.”
