KOTA KINABALU: Tambunan is expected to see a boost in padi yield with improved farm management methods next year.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the state government aims to promote double cropping practices, improve irrigation systems and introduce new padi varieties in an effort to increase the district's padi production.
"Padi field farming in Tambunan needs to be improved. The people are committed to farming, but they need to learn and accept new varieties of high yield padi.
"The number of padi field farmers in the district who are doing double cropping is not enough. The main problem is the lack of proper irrigation, which makes double or triple cropping difficult, if not almost impossible.
"However, the government has already planned several projects to address this problem and I believe, soon, Tambunan's agriculture industry could be taken to the next level," he said.
Jeffrey, who is also state agriculture and food industry minister, said most of the padi farming in Tambunan is still subsistence-oriented and the annual yield was only about 3.6 tonnes per hectare.
He said idle grazing grounds in Tambunan are also expected to be developed, adding that the district has a lot of catching up to do in terms of agriculture development, like promoting other crops and integrated farming.
