SMART SBB able to achieve national rice SSL target - MAFS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- The implementation of the Large-Scale Smart Padi Field (SMART SBB) programme will be able to help the country achieve  its self-sufficient level (SSL) target for rice production in the next few years,  Agriculture and Food Security Minister (MAFS) Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said

He said to date, 27 organisations consisting of government-linked companies (GLCs), padi farmer cooperatives and private companies are working in collaboration to  cultivate padi over 11,000 hectares of land nationwide with the involvement of about 5,000 project participants.

"With the increasing and encouraging response from farmers and the padi yield increasing by up to 180 per cent, it clearly shows that the programme is on the right track and will be able to achieve all the targets that have been outlined.

"... we need to keep changing the types of fertilisers, especially organic fertilisers that are now being introduced and used to improve crop yields that are happening now," he said in response to a question from  Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) who asked on the status of SMART SBB programme.

Mohamad said the SMART SBB programme was introduced by the government in Feb 2021 to develop padi cultivation with a target of 150,000 hectares per season to produce an average yield of seven metric tonnes per hectare.

The programme is aimed at helping to achieve the national rice SSL target set at 75 per cent by 2025 and 80 per cent by 2030.

-- BERNAMA