PENDANG, Sept 10 — The padi seed production quota for several government agencies must be reviewed to ensure sufficient supply.
Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the move would also help overcome padi seed shortages, besides curbing the price increase of the item in the future.
According to Mahfuz, apart from LPP, Felcra, Syarikat Perniagaan Peladang Sdn Bhd and Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority are among agencies that have their own padi seed plants, but only produce padi seeds based on the quota.
“We hope the (Agriculture and Food Security Ministry) will let them produce at full capacity as this will balance the demand for padi seeds and ensure sufficient padi seeds.
“It can also comply with price setting so we hope the crisis of seed shortage and price hike will not happen in the future,” he told reporters after the launch of MR269 registered rice seeds at the LPP Certified Rice Seed Plant in Kubur Panjang here today.
Meanwhile, Mahfuz said the Kedah Farmers Association’s padi seed production centre is optimistic it can produce 159,500 bags of legal padi seeds for the 1/2025 and 2/2025 seasons, which is sufficient to plant 22,800ha of land.
— Bernama
