RM6 billion needed to increase national rice production, says Mustapa

The Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry requires additional allocations of at least RM6 billion to increase national rice production to meet the country's needs, its minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said.

He said the allocation would include developing new padi farming areas in states like Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak, and increasing the agriculture infrastructure, including irrigation system.

"The cabinet has asked the ministry to submit a proposal on how to increase the country's rice production and we've suggested the additional allocation for such purpose," he told reporters here.

Mustapa said the allocation would also be used to improve infrastructure in the padi farming areas under the Kemubu Agriculture Development Authority (KADA) in Kelantan and the Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada) in Kedah.

He said the ministry had been allocated a total of RM923 million this year to help padi farmers increase production.

"We might not be able to achieve the target to increase the rice production to 90 per cent, from 70 per cent, because of land problems and natural disasters," he added.

Mustapa also said farmers in the five Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states would not be left out from the ministry's programme.

"There is no reason for the ministry to neglect farmers in Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor as they also contribute to the country," he added.

In another development, Mustapa, who is the Jeli member of parliament, said students residing in the interior areas of the district, who commuted daily to schools, would be given hostel accommodation for their safety.

Mustapha said the move was in the wake of the gruesome rape and murder of a Form Five student of Sekolah Menengah Jeli (1), Nurul Anira Che Rosik, 17.

Mustapa, who visited Nurul Anira's family at Kampung Chegar Bedil here, said he had asked the district education office to look into the matter.