Selangor: Selangor needs at least RM1 billion to enhance padi productivity, Selangor Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said. He stated that the state government will soon engage with the Federal Government to discuss funding through the Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA), Northwest Selangor, to achieve five planting cycles every two years.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the funding is crucial to upgrade drainage systems, build water retention ponds, and acquire 80.9 hectares of paddy fields from Tanjong Karang to Sabak Bernam. Izham highlighted that the region faces challenges in ensuring adequate water supply, particularly in Sabak Bernam, and emphasized the need to increase water capacity in most areas of northwest Selangor.

Izham expressed confidence that all infrastructure improvements could be completed within three years if allocations were approved by the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry. He also shared that Selangor was fine-tuning new methods to enhance collaboration between farmers and stakeholders, including FGV Holdings Berhad, which has demonstrated large-scale padi yield improvements in the state.

Additionally, Izham mentioned that they have proposed RM100 per ton incentives for farmers achieving seven-ton yields. However, currently, only farmers in Sungai Leman and Sekinchan areas are capable of achieving such yields out of the state’s 9,000 padi farmers.

Earlier, Izham attended a farmers’ appreciation event in Sungai Leman and launched Briar and Behn Meyer’s BASE fertilizer technology at Dewan Seri Sekinchan.