Uggah: Sarawak aims to produce hybrid seeds to boost state’s agricultural development

Uggah with Charlie and a worker at the Debak Agriculture Centre.

KUCHING (Oct 19): Sarawak is aiming to produce hybrid seeds to boost agricultural development in the state, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He said the state has embarked on a programme to focus on hybrid seeds production at the Debak agricultural centre in the Betong Division.

He visited the 27.59-hectare site yesterday (Sunday).

“Having sufficient and consistent supply of quality seeds is a very important component in the state agricultural development programme.

“Having the right seeds is a lynchpin in the industry further growth,” said Uggah who is also Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development in a press statement today.

The state Agriculture Department had in September inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Green World Genetics (GWG) Sdn Bhd pursuant to developing the site for the purpose.

GWG is a research based organisation from Kuala Lumpur specialising in the breeding of high quality tropical hybrid seeds and improvement of agricultural products.

“With the MoU, the company is licensed to create a quality seed production centre, crop breeding and processing plant, providing training as well as to do a research and development centre there,” Uggah said.

In the context of modern farming, Uggah said farmers could not simply plant any seed, adding that ideally, the seeds must meet the soil condition, be disease resistance and be able to increase productivity.

According to latest statistics from the World Seed Organisation, Malaysia was importing 2,665 tonnes of field crop seeds worth US$10million and 669 tonnes of vegetable seeds worth US$6 million.

“In Sarawak, we have yet to have any seed production facility and/or an area focusing on quality seeds production. That is why we are giving the GWG the chance to produce the seeds.”

The company, he said, will begin with corn then paddy seeds plus other vegetables and crops it wants to do apart from adopting farmers to produce the seeds using its technology.

“When the farmers produce, for instance, the corn, it is not for immediate consumption but to produce seeds to be sold to others who want to plant the crop.”

The company is expected to begin its operation after the current site preparation works have been completed.

Secretary of the Betong District Council Charlie Keling accompanied Uggah during the visit.

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