Johor's rice yield increased by 30pc, says state rep

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Dec 6 — The rice yield in Johor has increased by 30.1 per cent for the main harvest seasons in 2021 and 2022, said State Agriculture, Agro-Based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip.

He said the yield increased from 4,746 metric tonnes to 6,225 metric tonnes.

“In 2021, the average yield and production of paddy fields in Johor was at 3,683 tonnes and the average value exceeded the set national standard average of 3.2 tonnes.

“The paddy fields in this state are smaller compared to those in Selangor, Perak, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan or Terengganu.

“However, the Johor government’s focus on creating a ‘Southern Rice Bowl’ in the state remains a priority to ensure constant food supply,” said Zahari at the Johor state legislative assembly in Bangunan Sultan Ismail here.

He was responding to a question from Selamat Takim (BN-Sungai Balang) who asked about increasing the state’s rice production in an effort to ensure food security.

Zahari, who is also the Buloh Kasap assemblyman, explained that Johor has 10 paddy fields involving 875 farmers covering an area of 2,254 hectares, that include Tangkak (842.97 hectares), Muar (364.22 hectares), Mersing (549.38 hectares), Batu Pahat (141.70 hectares) and Kluang (356.12 hectares).

He said that even though the rice fields in Johor are categorised as rice fields outside the leading rice-producing states , they are still the focus of the state government in an effort to increase production.

“For this year, the Johor Agriculture Department will implement an incentive programme to increase rice yields through six projects worth a total of RM3.2 million to l farmers, either individually or in groups.

“The programme includes paddy land incentives, equipment incentives, mechanisation programme incentives, paddy infrastructure improvement incentives, paddy water management incentives, integrated control incentives and soil management and fertilisation,” he said.

Zahari said that the rice fields in Sungai Balang involving 92 rice farmers will be the focus of efforts to strengthen their production.

“A total of RM1,008,630 has been allocated for the development of paddy fields in Sungai Balang in Muar this year through various development projects or incentives,” he said.