BINTANGOR: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Onemas Agriculture Sdn Bhd will collaborate to produce new hybrid paddy seeds.

According to Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, through this collaboration, UNIMAS will conduct research on paddy seeds from China used by Onemas Agriculture to be combined with Sarawak's paddy seeds.

"Here, we have asked UNIMAS to assist in producing seeds and improving the paddy planting system. UNIMAS will conduct research to combine Chinese seeds with our local seeds. This research will focus on the quality of the seeds.

"Secondly, it is about the land, as we have identified this area to become a rice production valley due to the availability of peat soil,” he explained.

He told reports after officiating the launching ceremony of the Hybrid Paddy Project and Onemas Agriculture Sdn Bhd Rice Processing Plant in Bintangor on Thursday.

Also present were Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-FICORD), Dato Sri Dr. Stephen Rundi Utom, Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment, Datuk Len Talif Salleh, M-FICORD Deputy Minister, Datuk Martin Ben, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and UKAS), Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Native Laws and Customs), Datuk Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Adviser at the Sarawak Premier's Office (Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development), Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom, Chairman of Onemas Agriculture Sdn Bhd, Datuk Stephen Sia, and other distinguished guests.

Further elaborating, he said the Sarawak Government will provide paddy machinery to farmers' associations for the benefit of farmers.

"We can supply machines to farmers' associations, and they can rent them out to smallholders or small entrepreneurs.

"If one hectare takes just one hour to complete, the machine can then be used by others. We can rent out the machines, and the government can purchase them, but they will be managed by the Farmers' Association,” he said.

However, Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari emphasised that farmers must first be trained before they can operate the paddy machinery.

At the event, the Sarawak Premier also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UNIMAS represented by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Ahmad Hata Rasit, and Onemas Agriculture Sdn Bhd represented by Datuk Stephen.

Earlier, he had the opportunity to visit the Onemas Agriculture Sdn Bhd rice processing plant, besides inspecting the hybrid paddy planting site and testing the paddy harvesting machinery. -UKASnews