Answer for Oral Question PL299

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Isa bin Pengiran Haji Aliuddin

YANG BERHORMAT PENGIRAN HAJI ISA BIN PENGIRAN HAJI ALIUDDIN requested the MENTERI EKONOMI, PERDAGANGAN DAN INDUSTRI to provide an explanation regarding the 10 factors that affect rice yields, such as irrigation, fertilisers and nutrients, pesticide control, pests, diseases, seed quality, soil management quality, weather conditions during the planting season, the age/attitude of farmers, and farm management, as well as the specific programmes implemented in the development of the rice industry to properly address these factors.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Ekonomi, Perdagangan dan Industri

Among the strategies of the Ministry, through the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood (JPAM), to increase the country's rice production, while addressing the factors that may affect rice and paddy yields, are as follows:

• Study on the Suitability of New Varieties - To identify superior rice varieties that not only produce high yields and have a taste quality accepted by local consumers, but also possess characteristics of resistance to diseases and crop pests; are resilient to climate change (climate resilient) and acidic soils, which are among the challenges faced by rice farmers. At present, JPAM is conducting 7 programmes to study the suitability of rice varieties in irrigated and non-irrigated areas in collaboration with strategic research partners, including:

Areas with Irrigation Systems	Areas without Irrigation Systems
Longping High Tech Agriculture Co. Ltd. (People's Republic of China) Variety: BRN004	Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Centre (People's Republic of China) Variety: WDR102
Jiayuan Trading Company (Together with Yuan Seed Company, People's Republic of China) Variety: Yuan1603	FINC-SINGROW (People's Republic of China) Varieties: HHXR61, HY73, HY540, HY761
Yaz & Wyn Enterprise (together with PT. Biogene Plantation, Republic of Indonesia) Variety: Sembada178	Jiayuan Trading Company (Together with Yuan Seed Company, People's Republic of China) Variety: Yuan1601
International Rice Research Institute (Based in the Republic of the Philippines) Variety: SVERA100

These varieties under study have the potential to produce between 6–8 mt/ha in irrigated areas and 2–3 mt/ha in non-irrigated areas.

• Study on Improving Soil Fertility - Through a regenerative agriculture approach (regenerative agriculture), namely by using compost fertiliser in addition to the chemical fertilisers normally used. Initial findings from the study conducted at KKP Kandol over three seasons have shown that the use of compost fertiliser is capable of reducing soil acidity and, in the long term, is expected to contribute to optimal yields.

• Enhancing the capacity for breeding and producing hybrid rice seeds through technical cooperation with the People's Republic of China. The People's Republic of China has agreed to provide technical assistance, whereby two (2) experts will be sent to the country for one (1) year to train officers from the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood as well as researchers from higher education institutions in hybrid rice breeding (hybrid rice breeding) and hybrid rice seed production (hybrid seed production), while also assisting in the establishment of a Hybrid Rice Research Centre in the country. This project is expected to commence in mid-August 2026.

• Enhancing the skills of farmers in applying best practices in rice production through courses under the Sekolah Perladangan Pengusaha Padi (Rice Farmer Field School), which are still being conducted in all four districts.

• Collaborating with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in implementing the Belia Berpadi programme to train youths to participate in a programme to learn rice cultivation methods and management. This programme also aims to encourage youth involvement in rice cultivation enterprises, as well as to increase the country's paddy and rice production.