Push for M'sian rice
The Malaysian Agricultural Development Authority (Mardi) recently introduced a new fragrant rice in a challenge to Thailand, saying it is better than imported Thai rice.
According to a Bernama news agency report on Tuesday, the government wants Malaysians to recognise the new Mardi rice breed, which has been developed and grown in the country. Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shariff Omar, said the fragrant rice - dubbed "Mas Wangi Malaysia" - has a lower starch content and is better than rice from Thailand. "The rice grains are longer and they smell better, and whenever there is less starch content, it is always good for health," he told reporters. Mardi developed the rice strain after a study lasting more than 10 years, by cultivating clones in Kelantan and Kedah. He said the rice was now being promoted throughout the country to encourage Malaysians to consume it as a substitute for imported rice. "If all Malaysians consume the fragrant rice produced in this country, we can reduce our rice import bill from Thailand by 30 per cent, while helping local farmers to improve their income," he said. The minister said the fragrant rice was cheaper, at 18 ringgit (Bt181) per five kilograms, than rice from Thailand. "People can get the rice from supermarkets, and the ministry guarantees that it can be cooked in various dishes such as biriyani, nasi lemak, fried rice and chicken rice," he said. He said more than 200,000 rice farmers in the country were encouraged to cultivate the new fragrant rice, and the ministry would extend incentives to them from next year. "Farmers who can raise their rice production tonnage will be given a M$650 incentive, against the existing $550," he said. They would also be entitled to other incentives like fertiliser and pesticides worth M$240 per hectare, he said. On the Padi Beras Nasional Berhad's (Bernas) move to slash its offer price for paddy by 25 per cent for produce from Tumpat, he said this was due to the inferior quality of rice coming from the area, Bernama reported. The minister said the farmers' crop was steamy and moist and harvested too early, leaving Bernas with no other option but to lower its offer price. "That is why we advise farmers not to harvest at night, and only do so when the paddy is ripe. Quality is crucial, otherwise they end up producing broken rice," he said. Recently, scores of farmers in Tumpat and Pasir Mas staged a boycott against Bernas for the 25-per-cent discount for their harvest. They said the discount was too much, even though the price of paddy was raised by the government to M$0.65 a kilogram from $0.55, Bernama reported. "I sympathise with them but at the same time I would like to advise them to take care of their paddy quality," he said. The Nation
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