The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT), through the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, will continue its efforts in conducting research on rice to identify varieties that carry high-yields to meet consumer demand.
Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin said this during the 20th session of the Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting yesterday.
The minister said the MPRT is strengthening collaboration with agencies and research institutions, including the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Centre and Yuan Longping High Tech Agriculture Co Ltd from China and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines.
The initiatives aim to increase rice production at irrigated areas, from five to six tonnes per hectares to seven to eight tonnes per hectare in a season.
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf also revealed that there is a pilot project on hybrid rice varieties with the potential to yield 7.5 tonnes per hectare in one season. There are also research efforts to increase productivity of non-irrigated areas, from one metric tonnes per hectare to three metric tonnes per hectare per season, he said, adding that four rice varieties are undergoing trials in the Temburong District.
The minister also outlined achievements in farming and fisheries sectors including the export of 300,000 eggs to Singapore on February 1, 2023, and as of February this year, around six million eggs valuing at BND1.1 million had been sold to the city state.
As of last month, 2.5 metric tonnes of Cavendish banana were exported to Sarawak under an initiative that began in May 2023.
For fisheries, the Sultanate exported shrimps, tuna and seabass fillets to Singapore in 2022. As of this month, Barramundi Group Brunei Sdn Bhd exported 3.6 metric tonnes of frozen barramundi valued at BND0.06 million to Singapore.
Processed food products have also penetrated Malaysian and Singaporean markets with approximate export value of BND0.36 million.
To assist entrepreneurs and farmers, the MPRT has revitalised its ‘Pasar Kitani’ programme at Rimba Agribusiness Centre.
The ministry also signed agreements with China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) to cexpand opportunity to export of 176 types of fishery products to the world’s second largest economy.
Meanwhile, LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusof raised concerns over farmers not receiving adequate funding and called for a review of loan schemes and the introduction of incentives to attract youth to agriculture.
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf said it is being looked into, with the MPRT working with banks and Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) to provide grants. – Rokiah Mahmud & Fadley Faisal
