Brunei Darussalam looks to sustain agricultural growth

Rising productivity and higher output from the processing segment is keeping Brunei Darussalam’s agriculture sector on track to meet the government’s medium- and long-term goals.

Strong performance in most areas of the agriculture and agri-foods sector saw the industry’s revenue rise by 6.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) in the first quarter of the year to reach BN$97.1m ($71.2m), according to data issued by the Department of Agriculture and Agri-food (DAA) in late July. This came despite dry weather conditions, which impacted the production of rice, vegetables and cut flowers.

Growth was supported in large part by double-digit growth in the livestock and processed agricultural products segments. Livestock output was up 14.1% y-o-y at BN$6.9m ($5.1m), while processed agricultural goods expanded by 16.9% over the same period, bringing the agri-food segment’s earnings to BN$28m ($20.5m).

By contrast, the broader economy expanded by 3.6% y-o-y in the first three months of the year, the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam reported at the end of July.

Long-term plan for value-added growth

In its long-term development plan, Wawasan Brunei 2035, the government has set a target of boosting agricultural output to BN$1bn (733.3m) by 2020 and BN$3.9bn ($2.9bn) by 2035 – almost 11 times the sector’s contribution to GDP last year.

While ambitious, the last five years have already seen significant progress in agricultural development. Gross agricultural output increased from BN$230m ($168.6m) in 2010 to BN$366m ($268.4m) last year.

Future growth is expected to be fuelled by a combination of improved technology, higher levels of foreign direct investment in the sector, the use of high-yield crop varieties and the expansion of the downstream value-added component.

Boosting value addition should take on greater importance in the coming years if Brunei Darussalam it to reach its ambitious agricultural targets. With relatively limited land available for agricultural purposes, and the increasing encroachment of built-up areas into farming districts, the Sultanate will have to create more value from the land it has.

The whole country is approximately 577,000 ha in size, with only 7193 ha in use for agriculture as of 2013, according to the most recent figures from the DAA.

Halal niche

A key avenue for bringing in investment and increasing value addition in agricultural production is the Sultanate’s burgeoning halal segment, which feeds into the growing focus on processed foods.

In March of last year Brunei Darussalam invited investors from countries such as China and the UK to take part in a $300m halal industry park, known as the Bio-Innovation Corridor, located north-west of the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

Led by the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, the 500-ha park aims to transform Brunei Darussalam into a regionally and internationally recognised destination for halal industries.

The worldwide halal food market is worth an estimated $1.1trn, according to a study by Thomson Reuters, and is considered one of the fastest food segments in the world.

Growing youth

While specialisation in value-added niches such as halal could go some way towards achieving the government’s goals, a dwindling workforce in rural areas presents something of a challenge.

According to the most recent Labour Force Survey conducted by the Department of Economic Planning and Development, out of a population of 411,900, and a total labour force of 203,600, the percentage working in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector was around 0.6% in 2014.

As young Bruneians increasingly opt for professions in urban centres, the ageing of the rural workforce also presents productivity challenges, according to Suria Zanuddin, the head of the agricultural extension division at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.

“We try to involve and recruit young farmers as most of our current farmers are now ageing,” she told local media at the end of May.

The government is stepping up efforts to reverse the flow of young Bruneians into urban centres by expanding educational programmes and promoting the business opportunities of the agriculture sector through training courses.

At the Rice Farmer Field School, for example, close to 300 paddy farmers have been trained since the programme was founded in 2010.

While the expected increase in technology in the agriculture industry could help ease some of the workforce requirements, primary production is likely to remain a labour-intensive industry, meaning that government efforts to promote farming as an attractive and viable career path will be crucial to developing both food security and the broader sustainability of the sector.


Sumber - Oxford Business Group

KDYMM: Pertanian mesti terus diperkasa

Titah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan Dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam Sempena Hari Ulang Tahun Keputeraan Baginda Yang Ke-70 Tahun Bagi Tahun 2016 Bertempat Di Istana Nurul Iman.

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem. Alhamdulillah  Rabbil 'Alameen, Wabihiee Nasta'eenu 'Alaa Umuuriddunya Wadden, Wassalaatu' Wassalaamu 'Ala Asyarafil Mursaleen, Sayyidina Muhammaddin, Wa'alaa Aalihee Wasahbihee Ajma'een, Waba'du.

Alhamdulillah, beta bersyukur ke hadrat Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala kerana dapat meraikan Hari Keputeraan beta pada tahun ini, dalam keadaan aman lagi selesa.

Istiadat berlangsung pada tahun ini, ketika mana kita baru saja sempurna melaksanakan ibadat puasa dan kini sedang meraikan Hari Raya Aidilfitri yang mubarak.

Beta sekali lagi mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri kepada semua yang meraikannya. Beta berharap kita di negara ini akan mengamalkan sifat berhemah dan sederhana dalam meraikan apa saja sambutan perayaan selaras dengan ajaran ugama kita yang suci.

Melalui istiadat ini, beta dengan ikhlas merakamkan ucapan terima kasih serta penghargaan kepada semua tetamu khas beta yang sudi hadir dan juga kepada semua pihak yang telah menyembahkan perutusan ucap selamat kepada beta serta keluarga bersempena dengan perayaan ini.

Beta mengajak semua rakyat di negara ini supaya sama-sama bersyukur kerana dapat secara berterusan menikmati keamanan dan kesejahteraan. Namun ini bukanlah tiket untuk kita melonggarkan sikap berhati-hati terhadap sebarang kemungkinan yang tidak diingini. Bahkan senario hari ini meminta kita untuk lebih berwaspada lagi.

Turut lebih kita beratkan ialah membangun ekonomi. Brunei tidak boleh leka dalam keadaan ekonomi global dilihat sedang bermasalah. Brunei perlu mempelbagaikan ekonominya sambil terus meningkatkan hasil Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK). Kita perlu lebih aktif serta mempunyai agenda lebih terancang bagi mencapai sasaran ini.

Usaha-usaha peningkatan perlulah  menyeluruh terutama bagi bidang yang dianggap utama, seperti pertanian makanan asasi. Bidang ini mestilah terus diperkasa sehingga mampu untuk kita memenuhi sara diri. Kita tidak boleh selama-lamanya bergantung kepada pihak luar sahaja. Sayugia perkara ini dapat diambil perhatian serius oleh pihak berkenaan dalam kerajaan.

Sudah tiba masanya untuk Brunei mengaktifkan segala usaha tanpa berlengah-lengah lagi. Salah satu contoh ke arah itu, kita sekarang sedang merancang untuk  menggerakkan ekonomi negara, dengan kerajaan mengungkayahkan satu projek  membina sistem pengangkutan yang selamat dan cekap.  Projek ini ialah untuk memanjangkan Dermaga Pelabuhan Muara dan membesarkan terminal kontena Muara. Ia akan menjadi pemudahcara bagi kemasukan dan penarikan pelabur luar asing ke negara ini.

Di samping itu, secara umum kita juga menggalakkan sifat kreatif dan inovatif dalam melaksanakan semua projek pembangunan melalui kaedah Kerjasama Awam Swasta atau Public Private Partnership. Kaedah ini bertujuan sebagai pendorong ke arah  perkongsian di antara sektor awam dan swasta dalam melaksanakan projek-projek kerajaan.

Menyebut lagi permasalahan ekonomi, baru-baru ini, rakyat Britain telah memutuskan untuk keluar dari Kesatuan Eropah atau Brexit. Keputusan ini menimbulkan sedikit gusar di kalangan para pelabur kerana ia dilihat sebagai mampu untuk menjejaskan nilai pelaburan di bursa-bursa saham antarabangsa dan malah juga turut berisiko ke atas nilai mata wang negara berkenaan sendiri. Brunei sebagai negara yang juga terlibat dalam perdagangan antarabangsa tidaklah terkecuali dari turut merasakan kesan keputusan tersebut.

Namun Alhamdulillah, dengan adanya dasar kerajaan melaksanakan pelaburan seimbang, maka risiko tersebut dapat kita tangani secara terurus.

Beta penuh yakin, Kerajaan Britain dan antarabangsa adalah mampu untuk menangani pelbagai isu berpunca dari Brexit tersebut, berdasarkan pengalaman yang luas semua pihak dalam mengatasi semua permasalahan yang ada.

Brunei sendiri akan terus menghargai hubungan dengan United Kingdom, khasnya hubungan perdagangan yang telah berjalan sekian lama itu.  Kita akan tetap mengukuhkan hubungan ini untuk kebaikan bersama  kedua-dua buah negara.

Ke arah peningkatan ekonomi, kerajaan beta juga terus memacu perkembangan pendidikan. Kerana pendidikan juga adalah aset, malah 'kuasa' untuk menentukan kelangsungan bangsa.

Sebab itu kualiti pendidikan, tidaklah ia dapat dikompromi melainkan mesti terus diperkaya dan ditingkatkan. Ini adalah harapan kita kepada Kementerian-Kementerian  Pendidikan dan Hal Ehwal Ugama supaya sama-sama dapat berbincang dan bekerjasama dengan Unit PENGGERAK di Jabatan Perdana Menteri untuk mencari jalan, bagaimana prestasi Pendidikan Rendah dan Menengah khasnya, dapat ditingkatkan. Kerana dalam era mutakhir ini, beta sendiri mendapati masih ada perkara yang perlu diperbaiki.

Selaku tonggak utama Wawasan Brunei 2035, pendidikan tidak boleh berada di bawah, melainkan tempatnya ialah di atas untuk benar-benar diambil berat. Kerana pendidikan adalah pelaburan sepanjang hayat untuk menentukan maju mundurnya sesuatu bangsa.  Jika pendidikan lemah, maka tidak siapapun yang akan memandang tinggi kepada kita.

Di peringkat antarabangsa, negara kita akan terus bekerjasama dengan rakan-rakan  serantau dan antarabangsa dalam menjana pertumbuhan ekonomi dan lain-lain kepentingan melalui rangkaian-rangkaian pemangkin serantau dan antarabangsa.

Demikian juga kita akan sentiasa bersama-sama memainkan peranan dalam hal ehwal keselamatan serantau mahupun antarabangsa, di samping menghulurkan bantuan-bantuan kemanusiaan kepada pihak-pihak yang memerlukan, selaras dengan kemampuan kita.

Akhirnya, beta dengan tulus ikhlas  merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan ucapan terima kasih kepada seluruh lapisan rakyat dan penduduk, warga Perkhidmatan Awam, Pasukan-Pasukan Keselamatan serta mereka yang berkhidmat di sektor swasta termasuk mereka yang bertugas di luar negara di atas sumbangan dan sokongan mereka kepada kerajaan beta.

Penghargaan yang setinggi-tingginya juga disampaikan kepada seluruh Ahli  Jawatankuasa Perayaan peringkat kebangsaan dan daerah, atas segala khidmat usaha yang disumbangkan untuk menjayakan perayaan ini.

Beta berdoa semoga kita semua serta Negara Brunei Darussalam akan sentiasa kekal aman dan makmur, dikurniakan dengan limpah rahmat dan perlindungan oleh Allah  Subhanahu Wata'ala. Amin.

Sekian, Wabillahit Taufeq Walhidayah,  Wassalamu 'Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Ambil tindakan tanah terabai

Oleh Hajah Saemah Kepli

SERIA, 20 Mei – Pemaju-pemaju Ladang Kawasan Pertanian Luar Bandar Sungai Lalit, (KPLB) berharap pihak Jabatan Pertanian akan bertindak segera untuk mengambil balik tanah-tanah yang terabai dan ditinggalkan oleh pemiliknya di kawasan berkenaan.

Ini supaya keadaan persekitaran ladang kembali ceria seperti dulu, sekali gus memberikan peluang kepada pengusaha lain yang benar-benar serius.

Ketua Ladang KPLB Sungai Lalit, Haji Mohd Tahir bin Mohd Yussoff, 72, ketika ditemui Media Permata, hari ini, melahirkan rasa kecewa melihat keadaan persekitaran tanah ditinggalkan terabai, dan kembali ditumbuhi lalang dan pokok-pokok liar.

Menurut Haji Mohd Tahir yang telah mengusahakan ladangnya sejak lebih 20 tahun lalu, beliau sendiri pada masa ini tidak begitu berani datang sendiri ke ladang, kerana keadaan usia sudah lanjut, dan khuatir jika berlaku sebarang kejadian dan tiada siapa yang mengetahui kerana ladang jauh dari kawasan penduduk kampung di sana.

Beliau memberitahu, pada tahun 1993, Jabatan Pertanian telah memberikan tanah seluas kira-kira lebih 200 hektar di KPLB Sungai Lalit untuk dimajukan.

Tanaman cili padi yang kering, akibat cuaca panas dan kering yang berpanjangan sejak tahun lepas

Kemudian setahun selepas itu, pada tahun 1994, kira-kira 237 orang yang telah memajukannya dan mereka secara automatik menjadi ahli-ahli Koperasi Ladang Kominat Kampung Sungai Lalit yang juga ditubuhkan pada sekitar tahun tersebut.

“Tetapi pengusaha yang aktif telah menurun sehingga pada masa ini hanya tinggal seramai kira-kira lebih 30 orang sahaja, mengusahakan sendiri dan ada yang dibantu oleh pekerja asing, kerana ada juga pemaju yang sudah meninggal dunia, dan sebagainya dan anak-anak muda tidak berminat untuk menyambung perusahaan orang tua mereka di bidang pertanian ini,” ujarnya.

Menurutnya lagi, beberapa tahun lalu, mereka telah diberitahu bahawa Jabatan Pertanian akan mengambil balik tanah yang sudah ditinggalkan tanpa diusahakan lagi.

“Tetapi sampai hari ini, tiada sebarang tindakan dilakukan, dan keadaan persekitaran ladang semakin banyak yang terbiar dan sunyi, termasuk rumah-rumah kebun yang ditinggalkan kosong dan buruk, yang dikhuatiri boleh mengundang kejadian yang tidak sihat seperti isu sosial dan sebagainya,” kata Haji Mohd Tahir lagi yang juga merupakan bekas guru sekolah rendah.

Beliau dan ahli-ahli KPLB Sungai Lalit yang lain, amat berharap supaya perkara itu diambil serius, sambil menambah “Saya berharap untuk melihat kembali keceriaan persekitaran ladang, seperti yang kami lakukan sekitar tahun 1994 dulu, dan saya sendiri pada masa itu masih bekerja, dengan begitu bersemangat tidak mengenal lelah, apabila pulang daripada kerja, terus mengusahakan ladang”.

Haji Mohd Tahir yang diberikan tanah seluas kira-kira dua hektar, kini mempunyai kira-kira 100 pohon buah-buahan tempatan yang berbuah secara bermusim seperti durian, langsat, cempedak, kembayau, rambutan dan sebagainya.

Hasil daripada tanamannya itu hanya dijual kepada orang yang datang ke ladangnya atau ke rumahnya, selain turut menjualnya kepada pemborong yang berdagang di tamu, pasar dan sebagainya.

Bagaimanapun, beliau mendakwa, penghasilan pada tahun lalu hingga ke tahun ini, agak berkurangan berikutan keadaan cuaca panas dan kering diiringi kemarau panjang dan berharap hampir penghujung tahun nanti, keadaan cuaca kembali baik dan menyuburkan semula buah-buahan dan tanaman mereka di ladang itu.

Pengusaha lain yang ada pada masa ini, juga menanam buah-buahan tempatan, selain terdapat seramai 13 orang pengusaha KPLB di sana yang mengusahakan tanah mereka dengan penanaman sayur-sayuran dan jagung manis.

Terdapat juga pengusaha aktif yang masih bekerja sepenuh masa dan dibantu pekerja mereka dalam kalangan warga asing untuk mengusahakannya.

Melalui catatan Statistik Pertanian dan Agrimakanan 2014, terdapat tiga kawasan KPLB di Daerah Belait yang masih diusahakan dengan aktif iaitu di kawasan Sungai Lalit A oleh seramai 32 orang peladang, KPLB Sungai Lalit B, seramai 50 orang manakala KPLB Pak Natu seramai 32 orang.

Ketiga-tiga kawasan tersebut merupakan KPLB Daerah Belait dengan keluasan 317 hektar, diusahakan oleh seramai 392 peladang, bagaimanapun hanya 133 kawasan yang aktif diusahakan oleh 114 orang peladang.

Melalui pecahannya, KPLB Sungai Lalit A seluas 28 hektar, diusahakan oleh 32 orang pengusaha dan masih aktif, manakala KPLB Sungai Lalit B seluas 120 hektar diusahakan oleh 140 orang peladang, bagaimanapun, hanya seluas 73 hektar yang masih aktif diusahakan oleh seramai 50 orang peladang, dan KPLB Pak Natu seluas 169 hektar diusahakan seramai 211 peladang, kawasan yang aktif seluas 32 hektar dengan diusahakan oleh seramai 32 orang peladang.


Sumber - Media Permata

Masalah Lot Sengkuang menggugat usaha ‘National Food Security'

10 SYA'BAN 1435/17 MEI 2016: PARTI PEMBANGUNAN BANGSA (NDP) sangat terkilan dengan keadaan pesawah-pesawah di Lot Sengkuang Labi yang sering berhadapan dengan masalah untuk terus bertahan memajukan perusahaan mereka dikawasan yang telah diiktiraf sebagai kawasan penanaman padi terbesar di Daerah Belait.

Di sesi lawatan pada 13 Mei 2016 kemarin, rombongan NDP meninjau keadaan di Lot Sengkuang dan mendapati permasalahan yang dihadapi pesawah-pesawah sama seperti yang pernah ditinjau dalam sesi lawatan hampir satu dekad lalu. (Pam air Labi tinggal jadi tugu peringatan)

Lot Sengkuang Mukim Labi telah mula diteroka oleh beberapa penduduk Labi dan pesawah-pesawah dari luar Mukim Labi dan daerah Belait pada tahun 60an dan pada tahun 80an seluas 50 hektar diambil alih oleh Jabatan Pertanian.

Rombongan NDP melawat Lot Padi Sengkuang, Labi

Meninjau sistem saliran air yang kering kontang

Rombongan NDP mendengarkan penjelasan Awang Haji Mohd Sofian yang
masih bertahan dan berharap masalah Lot Sengkuang akan selesai

Lot Sengkuang yang mempunyai keluasa 300 hektar telah dikenalpasti sebagai berpotensi untuk dikembangmajukan menjadi pengeluar padi terbesar negara dan juga dalam konteks memperkasa sekuriti makanan negara, berpotensi sebagai penyumbang terbesar dalam usaha meningkatkan pengeluaran beras ketahap saradiri.

Kearah itu macam-macam perancangan strategik telah diuar-uarkan sejak hampir dua dekad yang lalu untuk menaiktaraf prasarana di Lot Sengkuang termasuklah perancangan bagi penyediaan bekalan air serta sistem pengairan dan penyaliran.

Malangnya tidak semua perancangan dapat dilaksanakan dengan jayanya. Ia hanya tinggal cantik dalam kertas-kertas kerja dan berhasil memberikan harapan tinggi apabila diuar-uarkan dengan bersemangat melalui ucapan-ucapan menteri-menteri, pengarah-pengarah jabatan dan pegawai-pegawai pertanian yang silih berganti.

Hakikatnya menteri bertukar menteri, pengarah bertukar pengarah, ketua jabatan silih berganti namun masalah yang dihadapi oleh pesawah-pesawah di Lot Sengkuang hampir dua dekad lalu masih sama dan belum selesai.

Masih boleh senyum walaupun keadaan menyulitkan untuk terus bertahan

Ada pesawah yang sudah meninggal dunia dan ada pula yang sudah serik dengan masalah yang dihadapi lantas putus harapan dan meninggalkan sawah padi dengan penuh kekecewaan.

Pada tahun 2014 hampir 100 dari 286 pesawah yang berdaftar di Lot Sengkuang gulung tikar. Dari pengeluaran hasil sawah sejumlah 232 tan metric menurun kepada 182 tan metric pada 2014. Pada tahun ini bilangan pesawah dan juga hasil padi di Lot Sengkuang terus menurun dengan drastiknya.

Pihak berkuasa beruntung keadaan yang membimbangkan ini dapat ditutup dengan menyalahkan musim kemarau teruk akibat fenomena El Nino dan setentunya dengan pengunduran pesawah-peswah yang sudah bosan dengan masalah yang dihadapi.

Tetapi pesawah-pesawah yang masih bertahan lebih maklum apa punca sebenar dan faktor-faktor lain yanag menyumbang kearah kemerosotan Lot Sengkuang dan kenapa ramai pesawah-pesawah yang meninggalkan sawah ladang mereka di Lot Sengkuang.

Pesawah-pesawah yang sudah lanjut usia juga maklum apa sebab generasi muda menjauhkan diri dari perusahaan padi sawah negara yang masih berkalut-kalut dengan berbagai alasan untuk memajukannya.

Dalam hal ini NDP sangat bimbang dengan perancangan untuk mencapai tahap saradiri beras negara yang sepatutnya sudah sedikit sebanyak tercapai sasaran 60 peratus pada tahun lepas.

Lebih membimbangkan lagi ialah perancangan untuk memerdekakan negara dari bergantung terus kepada ‘ihsan alam' luar untuk mendapatkan beras nampaknya akan terus terbantut. Pelan strategi dan dasar pertanian negara yang antara lain menjadikan jaminan sekuriti makanan negara (national food security) sebagai salah satu strategi utamanya nampaknya belum dapat dilaksanakan dengan sebaiknya.

NDP juga kecewa melihat sepanjang hampir satu dekad ini harapan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam dalam hal memperkukuh sekuriti makanan negara khususnya dalam mencapai saradiri beras belum dapat dicapai sepenuhnya seperti yang telah disasarkan.

Untuk itu NDP mengajak kita semua untuk mentelaah semula mesej baginda sultan mengenai kepentingan sekuriti makanan negara dalam petikan titah sempena hari Keputeraan baginda yang ke 62 tahun pada 15 Julai 2008. Mudah-mudahan ianya akan dapat memperbaharui kesungguhan politik kita untuk terus meningkatkan produktiviti industri beras negara kearah saradiri yang diharap-harapkan.

Petikan titah yang dimaksudkan.....

“Selain itu, kita juga perlu peka dengan krisis permakanan dunia sekarang. Krisis ini telah benar-benar menimbulkan kebimbangan global apabila pengeluar beberapa jenis bijiran asasi, termasuk beras, telah mendadak susut di negara-negara pengeluar utamanya.

Dan menambah kalut lagi apabila beberapa negara pengeluar terpaksa mengeluar stok simpanan beras mereka untuk diagihkan kepada rakyat masing-masing.

Kebimbangan semakin meningkat apabila Badan Dunia juga turut mendedahkan hasil pertanian terus susut berbanding dengan kepesatan penduduk dunia.

Pertambahan penduduk dunia diramal meningkat dari 6.5 bilion (2006) kepada 7 bilion (2012). Peningkatan ini sudah tentu tidak seimbang dengan penghasilan permakanan yang terus merosot.

Ini ditambah lagi dengan isu perubahan iklim dunia. Pemanasan global membawa impak kepada persekitaran. Ini juga menjadi ancaman baru kepada kehidupan.

Kemudian dimerata tempat di dunia, terjadi pula bencana-bencana alam yang dahsyat, seperti gempa bumi, angin kencang dan banjir besar, yang semuanya itu, turut menjejaskan pula sumber permakanan.

Kerajaan Beta telah meletakkan beras selaku keperluan asas yang telah diberikan subsidi sekian lama.

Sama seperti minyak kenderaan, perbelanjaan subsidi untuk beras juga telah meningkat sekarang. Namun demi kesejahteraan rakyat dan penduduk, harga beras masih saja ditahap biasa.

Tetapi ini bukan bererti kita terlepas dari senario kebimbangan mengenai hasil makanan. Lebih-lebih lagi beberapa buah Negara pengeluar telah dilihat menghentikan eksport makanan bijiran mereka ke negara lain.

Maka dengan sebab itu, Negara Brunei Darussalam tidak dapat lagi semata-mata bergantung kepada ‘ihsan alam' luar negara untuk mendapatkan beras, walaupun kita mampu mengadakan peruntukan untuk itu.

Sikap semata-mata bergantung kepada wang ringgit untuk mengisi perut sudah tidak relevan lagi dengan terjadinya krisis makanan ini.

Jika ada negara pengeluar beras yang sudah mampu memenuhi 70 peratus keperluannya sendiri, masih sahaja sibuk menggubal dasar untuk sampai ketahap 100 peratus mencukupi, mangapakah kita, yang cuma baru setakat mampu menampung sekitar 3.12 peratus tidak menyingsing lengan meningkatkan industri penghasilan beras negara?

Pada ingatan Beta, perkara ini telahpun berulang kali Beta timbulkan sejak dari beberapa tahun lagi.

Jadi memang wajar untuk kita mempunyai pelan strategi dan dasar pertanian negara yang antara lain menjadikan jaminan sekuriti makanan negara (national food security) sebagai salah satu strategi utamanya”.

Sumber - Laman Aspirasi

To group or not to group?

Farmers harvesting the Laila rice at Laila padi field in Wasan.

Wail Wardi Wasil
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A challenge to padi farmers

THE numbers don’t lie. It is undeniable that padi production in the sultanate has improved in leaps and bounds in terms of output with a dramatic increase of 44 per cent with 1,983 metric tonnes of rice last year compared to 1,382 metric tonnes in 2014.

Despite the positive news, there is much to be done in terms of improving the domestic rice production, mainly to ensure increased productivity of padi plantations, rise in profit and cut in production costs as stressed by the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) YB Dato Padua Hj Ali Hj Apong in his recent visit to the AE Asia Agri-Mart Sdn Bhd in Bengkurong in April.

During the April visit, the minister called for local rice producers to help the government cut its losses at the agricultural sector, which he added was due to subsidies and the rice buy back scheme provided by the government.

While the government is trying to curb wilting in agricultural profits, for the padi farmers the subject of fertilisers and pesticides is the top issue, citing that there are times where there will be lack of chemical input which are subisidised by the government, leaving the farmers to buy the expensive chemical on their own.

Md Said Tundak, the village head of Kg Bebuloh and chairperson of the Kg Bebuloh padi fields, said the government should establish a set price for agricultural products in the country. He said this is necessary due to the large number of farmers who cannot afford the expensive chemical input, since they do not have any salary and only depend on their old age pension to fund their padi fields.

The government’s and farmer’s concerns may be different, but for the authority the key to meet all these challenges, will be the farmers themselves or to be exact - farmers grouping together to help one another.

For Khairunnisa Hj Omar Ali, the Head of Rice Research and Development Unit from the Department of Agriculture and Agri-food, it is time for padi farmers in the sultanate to be less dependent on government incentives and should focus on heightening their productivity in a cost-effective way.

She said that padi farmers should pool their resources together and organise themselves to form farming cooperatives that could efficiently manage their rice plantations as well as their expenditures.

Most farmers, namely in the Pangkalan Batu area, operate their padi plantations individually even though the padi plantations belong under an organisation such as the Kg Bebuloh padi fields which are under the village’s consultative council (MPK), she said.

“As the government, we are sometimes bound by financial restrictions and there will be times where we cannot provide fertilisers or pesticides to the farmers on time,” she said.

“We hope that the farmers are more progressive and not rely on the government assistance by working as a group and not individually because when they buy the chemical input in bulk, it is cheaper,” added Khairunnisa.

She also said that through farming cooperatives, padi farmers would be able to cut their production costs as the shared resources would allow them to also share their assets such as agricultural machinery.

“For example, there are farmers at the moment, who only operate one hectare of land and they have bought one tractor each to till their land, this is not very cost productive,” she said.

“Instead, what they can do is, say there is a group of ten farmers with each operating one hectare of land, they can buy one tractor and share it among themselves as a tractor can service one hectare of land per day,” she added.

Khairunnisa added that padi farmers should adopt the mentality whereby their padi planting should not just be viewed as a way to earn side income but in fact is a business venture that could generate high profits.

Sanah Hj Burut, the Head of Agricultural Development in the Brunei-Muara district, said that currently MPRT was heading to the direction of persuading the village and mukim consultative councils that operate padi fields to convert into cooperatives. This was one of the ways for padi farmers to overcome the expensive price for chemical input as “suppliers for agricultural products in Brunei are not enough, therefore their prices are not competitive”, she said.

Sanah said that if the consultative councils were to convert into cooperatives and operate more than 50 hectares of land, they could apply for permit to import chemical input in bulk for cheaper prices.

The solutions are on hand, but officials realised that persuading the farmers to group together is easier said than done.

“There were a number of padi fields under consultative councils that seemed taken to the idea but they did not follow through, stating the large capital that it requires to set up a cooperative,” she said.

She added that if these padi farmers intend to import their own chemical input they need to get a license to import from the Ministry of Health (MoH) before applying for a permit to import from the DAA.

“Aside from that, the cooperatives would also need to build a storage facility to store the fertiliders and pesticides that they have imported, which will be taken note of by the health ministry,” said Sanah.

Md Said Tundak said that the Kg Bebuloh Consultative Council does not intend to convert into cooperative in managing the Kg Bebuloh padi fields. He said that the hassle of applying for the permit and license from the MoH and the DAA was too much, adding that the capital to build a storage for the chemical input was also overwhelming.

“The store will not just cost two or three thousand dollars, for us to be a cooperative and to import the chemicals, we will need a big storage facility which in turn will need a large amount of capital,” he added.

Meanwhile Mat Noor Maaruf, the village of head of Kg Wasan cum the chairperson of Kg Batang Perhentian padi fields also said that they did not wish to become a cooperative as “they are hard to manage and rarely succeed.”

He also cited large capital as the reason, especially in terms of buying shares for being members of the cooperative.

“Furthermore, we (the Kg Wasan Consultative Council) intend to make our agricultural products as part of our One Village One Product (OVOP) products,” he added.

The government is still trying to convince padi farmers to unite but to group or not to group, at the end will be decided by the farmers.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Hasil padi terjejas teruk

Oleh Hajah Saemah Kepli

KUALA BELAIT, 6 Mei – Para penanam padi sawah di Lot Sengkuang, Labi berhadapan dengan hasil jualan paling teruk dalam sejarah akibat cuaca kering bermula sejak awal tahun ini, ditambah lagi dengan ketiadaan infrastruktur pengairan dan sistem saliran di kawasan itu.

Lot Sengkuang, Labi, merupakan kawasan penanaman padi terbesar di Daerah Belait, selain Kawasan Kemajuan Pertanian (KKP) bagi penanaman padi tunggal yang aktif di daerah ini dengan kawasan seluas 300 hektar, dan menjadi pengeluar terbesar beras di sini.

Bagaimanapun, hasil padi di kawasan berkenaan semakin menurun sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini daripada 192 metrik tan pada tahun 2008 kepada hanya 54 metrik tan tahun lepas.

Walaupun telah diwartakan sebagai KKP oleh kerajaan, kawasan sawah berkenaan tidak pernah mempunyai sistem pengairan dan para petani hanya bergantung kepada bekalan air dari Sungai Rampayoh terus ke Sengkuang.

Menurut beberapa orang penanam padi di sana, air memainkan peranan yang sangat penting dalam sistem penanaman padi, dan banjir pada bulan-bulan tertentu dalam setahun di kawasan Labi sedikit sebanyak telah membantu membasahi tanah.

Haji Mohd Sofian bersama pekerjanya menjemur padi yang sudah dituai.

Ketua yang dilantik bagi Lot Sengkuang, Awang Haji Mohd Sofian bin Mohd Yassin, semasa ditemui hari ini, memberitahu, sebelum ini Sungai Rampayoh telah tersumbat akibat batang balak serta ranting kering, tetapi telah dibersihkan oleh Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) sebagai sebahagian daripada projek tebatan banjir bagi menghalang padi daripada musnah jika arus air terlalu desar mengalir ke kawasan sawah.

“Sebelum ini Sungai Rampayoh telah tersumbat akibat batang balak dan ranting kering, kemudian telah dibersihkan oleh JKR sebagai sebahagian daripada projek untuk mengurangkan banjir di kawasan itu,” katanya.

Menurutnya pada masa ini, pilihan penanam padi untuk mendapatkan bekalan air dari parit hanya menggunakan mesin pam, bagaimanapun paras air telah menurun sejak tahun lalu, dan semua pam milik kerajaan dipindahkan dari Labi.

“Pada masa ini, mereka yang berkemampuan membeli sendiri pam air, tetapi kurang kuasa berbanding yang disediakan oleh Jabatan Pertanian dan Agrimakanan (DAA). Bagaimanapun, saya tidak dapat menggunakan air parit kerana hampir kering,” tambah Haji Mohd Sofian, yang kini sudah berusia 69 tahun.

Beberapa minggu lalu, petani di Lot Sengkuang telah menyerahkan hasil tuaian mereka kepada DAA Stesen Labi untuk ditimbang, di mana ada yang datang dengan hasil serendah satu guni beras sahaja.

“Disebabkan tiada sistem pengairan, kami hanya bergantung kepada hujan, tetapi sejak awal tahun ini cuaca panas dan kering, dan hujan turun kurang daripada yang diperlukan,” kata Awang Jaya Ambun, yang hanya menghasilkan 33 kilogram Beras Laila dari sawah seluas dua ekar yang diusahakan bersama isterinya.

Manakala Awang Jamit Gidang, 50, yang tinggal di dangau berdekatan sawahnya semasa musim menuai, hanya mendapat satu tan padi hasil sawah seluas dua ekar, dan mendakwa keluaran padinya kurang daripada 800 kilogram seperti yang biasa diperolehnya.

“Tahun ini saya cuba menanam BDR5 untuk kali pertama di samping padi tradisi lain yang sepatutnya lebih tahan kemarau, tetapi hasilnya kurang daripada apa yang biasa saya peroleh sebelum ini,” kata beliau.

Haji Mohd Sofian, yang sebelum ini pernah dianugerahkan sebagai petani paling berjaya setelah menghasilkan 50 tan padi empat tahun berturut-turut, mengalami kerugian berjumlah $5,000 tahun ini selepas hanya mengumpul 880 kilogram daripada kawasan seluas 1.6 hektar mengikut catatan DAA.

Beliau turut memberitahu, ekoran bekalan air dari Sungai Rampayoh semakin menurun, hasil padi juga menurun dan ramai petani membuat keputusan untuk meninggalkan Lot Sengkuang.

“Masalah kekurangan air dan ketiadaan sistem pengairan sudah banyak kali dibangkitkan kepada pihak berkuasa, dan sekarang ini kami hanya mampu berharap dan menunggu,” kata beliau.

Infrastruktur menaik taraf sistem pengairan telah dinyatakan kepada umum beberapa kali oleh Kementerian Perindustrian dan Sumber-sumber Utama pada tahun 2013, apabila menteri sebelum ini mengenalpasti Lot Sengkuang sebagai tempat pengeluaran padi berskala besar yang akan dilengkapi sistem saliran dan pembentungan.

Jabatan yang dipertanggungjawabkan telah menilai kawasan berkenaan, bagaimanapun projek penilaian bertajuk ‘Bekalan Air dan Sistem Pengairan di Sengkuang, Sungai Liang dan Labi Baru’, masih belum dilaksanakan.


Sumber - Media Permata

Kurang petani, penghasilan padi di Belait menurun

Oleh Hajah Saemah Kepli

KUALA BELAIT, 1 Mei – Penghasilan padi bagi Daerah Belait semakin menurun semenjak tahun 2012 berikutan kurangnya jumlah petani terbabit dalam penanaman padi.

Statistik terbaru yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Pertanian dan Agrimakanan bagi musim penuaian padi pada tahun 2014 menunjukkan hanya 188 orang petani berdaftar di daerah itu berbanding 286 orang petani dua tahun sebelumnya, menghasilkan hanya 182 tan metrik beras, turun mendadak daripada jumlah 232 tan.

Statistik itu dikongsikan oleh Ketua Unit Pertanian Daerah Belait, Awang Mat Rusli bin Haji Abu Bakar yang ditemui Media Permata pada kursus Projek Sekolah Perladangan Padi di sini.

Menurutnya, jumlah petani berkurangan kerana ramai yang sudah berusia dan tidak lagi berupaya mengerjakan sawah padi mereka, manakala anak-anak muda pula kurang berminat untuk mengisikan kekosongan itu.

“Daerah Belait sedang menghadapi cabaran dalam bidang pertanian padi apabila petani semakin tua dan mahu berehat daripada bersawah padi, manakala orang muda di sini tidak menunjukkan minat dalam bidang pertanian, maka hasil padi tidak lagi dapat bertahan,” katanya.

Bagi membantu mengatasi masalah itu, Jabatan Pertanian dan Agrimakanan Daerah Belait terus melaksanakan kursus-kursus kepada para petani dan orang ramai yang berminat menyertainya seperti Projek Sekolah Perladangan dalam usaha mencetuskan minat jangka panjang dalam kalangan petani.

“Kami baru saja selesai bagi edisi pertama melalui Projek Sekolah Perladangan Padi yang dijalankan selama lebih sebulan, namun ia hanya disertai tujuh orang petani meskipun kami mengundang petani-petani yang berdaftar secara berkumpulan, untuk memberikan mereka pengetahuan dan amalan terbaik untuk meningkatkan hasil dan bijak mengatasi cabaran yang dihadapi,” kata Awang Mat Rusli.

Menurutnya lagi, kawasan pengeluaran beras di Lot Sengkuang di kawasan luar bandar Labi yang berkeluasan 300 hektar diwartakan untuk penanaman padi, hanya separuh yang aktif digunakan sehinggakan rancangan Kementerian Sumber-sumber Utama dan Pelancongan pada 2009, untuk menambah sehingga 700 hektar keluasan kawasan penanaman padi belum lagi menjadi kenyataan.

Manakala di kawasan pedalaman lainnya di bahagian selatan daerah ini, penanaman padi diaktifkan secara bersendirian, dan petani-petaninya menjual beras masing-masing. Selain itu penanaman padi juga turut diusahakan di kawasan Sungai Lalit Mukim Liang dengan keluasan 48 hektar ditetapkan sebagai Kawasan Pertanian Luar Bandar (KPLB). Bagaimanapun seperti juga kawasan KPLB lainnya, Sungai Lalit tidak dapat dipadankan dengan bidang komersial atau Kawasan Kemajuan Pertanian (KKP).

Dengan penurunan pengeluaran beras juga turut mencerminkan kekosongan yang lebih luas dalam industri pertanian di daerah ini, yang telah gagal mencatatkan pertumbuhan yang ketara manakala tiga daerah lainnya terus maju.

Dalam musim menuai 2014, Daerah Belait terpaksa menyerah gelaran pengeluar terbesar buah-buahan dan pelbagai tanaman lainnya kepada Daerah Brunei dan Muara.

Sementara itu pada tahun 2013, Daerah Belait telah mengumpulkan sejumlah 1,470 tan buah-buahan, iaitu 38 peratus daripada jumlah hasil tempatan yang bernilai $4.2juta.

Setahun kemudian, pengeluaran mengurang sejumlah 18 tan, dengan nilai runcit jatuh kepada $3.6 juta.

Manakala Daerah Brunei dan Muara menghasilkan lebih dua kali ganda pengeluaran buah-buahannya dalam tempoh yang sama, dengan Tutong dan Temburong juga mencatatkan kemajuan, menyebabkan sumbangan Daerah Belait menurun kepada 24.9 peratus.

Daerah Belait mempunyai kenaikan sebanyak lapan tan dalam pengeluaran pelbagai tanaman pada tahun 2014, yang terdiri daripada akar, rempah, tebu dan sagu, tetapi tidak cukup untuk mengekalkan kedudukannya sebagai penyumbang tertinggi.


Sumber - Media Permata

Kg Bebuloh padi farming gets shot in the arm after land grant

Wail Wardi Wasil
BRUNEI-MUARA

THE grant of 43 hectares of land to Kg Bebuloh for padi farming has given a shot in the arm to people interested in padi cultivation.

Md Said Tundak, the village head of Kg Bebuloh cum the chairman of the Kg Bebuloh padi fields told The Brunei Times that the move has boosted the number of people engaged in padi cultivation which has reached to 73.

Prior to the land grant the number of padi farmers was 34 but now this number has almost doubled.

“This is the highest number of padi farmers that the village has ever seen. Previously it was at 60 and that was in 2002 when the village first started its padi plantations,” he said.

Md Said said that out of 73, only 34 padi farmers are residents of Kg Bebuloh while the other 39 comprises young farmers from the Belia Berpadi programme which is a collaboration between the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

The other padi farmers, he said consist of first time padi farmers hailing from all over the Brunei-Muara district such as RPN Lambak Kanan and Kg Mentiri.

“The new padi farmers has shown a lot of promise because they despite lack of experience have decided to enter the field of padi production because they believe that it could become a lucrative source of income,” he said.

“This new development is very encouraging because it shows the commitment of the country towards achieving food self-sufficiency,” he added.

The village head said that the new padi farmers have not started their planting season as they are currently working on clearing the new land.

Md Said added that the 43 hectares of new land was granted to the Kg Bebuloh padi plantations last month from MPRT, making the total area of land under Kg Bebuloh padi plantations 79 hectares.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

El Nino hits vegetable farms

Md Said Tundak, Village Head of Kg Bebuloh said El Nino may affect the next padi planting season.

Wail Wardi Wasil
BRUNEI-MUARA

VEGETABLE farmers in the sultanate are affected by the El Nino climate phenomenon, with their crops fast wilting in the current dry weather, decreasing their harvest.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, most of the vegetable farmers lamented over the fact that their decreased productivity has also caused a decrease in their monthly income.

Nur Ni’mah Qistina Abdullah Saban, 38, who operates a vegetable farm along with her family for more than 10 years, said that the heat has caused the soil on their farm to dry up and crack.

Even with the occasional instances of rain, she said, it is not enough to compensate for the dry weather.

“This may be one of the worst dry spells that we have experienced (and) the retention pool in our farm dried up last month and we have to depend on pipe water to water our crops,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lamun Perayam, who sells her crops at Pasar Tani Selayun, said the vegetables that have survived the heat and are good for harvest do not meet satisfactory quality in terms of appearances, leading to consumers avoiding purchase.

She said that leafy vegetables are most affected by the current weather pattern. These include crops such as selasih and cangkuk Manis.

Despite the poor quality of crops during this (season), Lamun said farmers are still able to grow and sell their crops, so she must still remain competitive and is not able to raise her prices.

“Before the dry season, I would earn an average of more than $100 a day, but now, I only earn between $20 and $70. However, this can still sustain me and my family,” said the 70-year-old.

Similarly, another vegetable farmer, Hilmi Salleh said prior to the dry season, she was able to sell 90 per cent of her crops. Now, she could barely sell 60 per cent of her harvest. “The dry weather has affected the quality of our crops and customers usually will opt for the best looking vegetables. As a result, we have resorted to lowering our prices.”

Hilmi, who helps out in operating vegetable farms owned by her parent-in-laws, said that one of their farms in Bukit Agok, Tutong, is suffering as the retention pool which they use to water the crops has dried up. “We have to control our planting now (because) we don’t have enough water (and) sometimes we resort to asking other farmers in the area for water from their retention pools,” added the 34-year-old.

Padi farmers on the other hand, are not yet affected by the El-Nino climate phenomenon as the water for irrigation from the Imang Dam is still reliable.

Md Said Tundak, the village head of Kg Bebuloh cum chairman of the Kg Bebuloh padi fields and Mat Noor Maaruf, the village head of Kg Wasan cum chairman of the Kg Batang Perhentian padi fields, said they have harvested the padi from this year’s first planting season. “However, if this dry weather persists until May or June, which is typically when we start our second padi planting season (then) we might have to postpone the planting season. This may disrupt the flow of our padi production,” said Mat Noor.

Md Said said that the heat is detrimental to padi production due to its affects towards the padi farmers, adding that the heat has caused a number of farmers to spend less time on the field.

It was previously reported that according to the Meteorological Department, strong El-Nino conditions are expected to persist over the Pacific Ocean before gradually weakening in June.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Mesin padi belum sesuai digunakan

Oleh Normazlina M.D

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 15 Mac – Mesin-mesin penanaman padi telah pun diperkenalkan di ladang-ladang padi di Daerah Temburong sejak tahun 2009.

Bagaimanapun, ujian-ujian kesesuaian yang dilaksanakan mendapati bahawa keseluruhan penanaman padi di Daerah Temburong belum lagi sesuai untuk menggunakan mesin kerana kawasan-kawasan tersebut mempunyai jenis tanah gambut (thick soil) dan ditambah lagi keadaan dan struktur tanah yang belum stabil yang tidak mempunyai sistem perairan dan saluran air yang teratur.

Maka penggunaan mesin adalah terhad, jelas Menteri Sumber-sumber Utama dan Pelancongan, Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Haji Ali bin Haji Apong semasa mengulas persoalan yang disuarakan oleh Yang Berhormat Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Ahad pada permesyuaratan hari kelapan Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, hari ini.

Yang Berhormat Dato Haji Ali menambah, hanya Ladang Padi Selapon, Daerah Temburong yang dapat menggunakan mesin traktor yang telah mula digunakan pada akhir tahun 2015.

“Ini kerana ladang ini mempunyai tanah yang sesuai dengan menggunakan mesin dan ini diikuti dengan mesin penanaman juga sesuai digunakan,” ujarnya.

Manakala itu, mesin-mesin lain seperti mesin pengirik dan mesin pengering padi telah pun diperkenalkan kepada peladang-peladang padi di Daerah Temburong tetapi hanya sebilangan peladang padi sahaja yang mampu memilikinya, yang mana mesin-mesin ini telah disenaraikan dalam Skim Insentif Pertanian dan Agrimakanan, di mana peladang-peladang ini boleh membelinya secara subsidi.

Beliau seterusnya menggalakkan para peladang padi yang berkeinginan memiliki mesin-mesin yang berkesesuaian dengan penanaman padi ini bolehlah membuat permohonan dan berhubung terus ke Unit Perkembangan Pertanian di Daerah Temburong.


Sumber - Media Permata

Brunei’s rice target still a long way off

Waqiuddin Rajak and Wail Wardi Wasil
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI still has a long way to go and many improvements to make before achieving its target of 60 per cent self-sufficiency in rice production, which was supposed to be met last year.

While the Department of Agrifood and Agriculture recorded a 44 per cent rise last year in rice production, better irrigation and more supplies of fertilisers are still needed to improve output.

Soil conditions

Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Hj Mohd Sahlan Hj Hidup, chairperson of Koperasi Setia Kawan (KOSEKA), said padi planting itself may face challenges as most of the soil in Brunei is acidic and not very suitable for mass plantation of padi.

In order to resolve this, he said the government or any related bodies may need to distribute a lot of lime-based fertiliser to farmers, which would help reduce the acidity levels of the land, making it suitable for padi plantations.

The process of making the land suitable would be a long one, however, looking at the amount of fertiliser that needs to be applied, said Hj Mohammad Hj Shamsu, a padi entrepreneur who is also a member of the Mukim Padi Planting project in Wasan in Brunei-Muara District.

For land that had never been cultivated with lime-based fertiliser, he said, it may take a long time, looking at how long it took to make Wasan suitable for padi plantation after years of administering fertiliser.

The suitability of the soil at Wasan, he said, contributed to the rise in the country’s rice production for 2015, and the area now only needs a small amount of lime-based fertiliser, but more nutrients need to be added to the fertiliser and other fertilisers need to be used to foster good growth of their padi.

Need for adequate fertilisation

Hj Mohammad said the types of fertiliser needed to enable padi to grow well in Wasan are the NPK 15-15-15 variety, where every 15 per cent of the fertiliser contains a combination of three types of elements - Nitrogen-Phosphate-Potassium - and also the NPK 12-12-17 TE variety.

The first type of fertiliser, he said, is applied to ensure the fertile growth of padi in the plots, and the other fertiliser is to support the padi hormones for better grains when it is time for harvesting.

He said the good growth and production in Brunei has allowed him to increase his yield from 2.5 metric tonnes of padi per plot to three tonnes, but he added that more fertilisers are still needed to further ensure good yields from padi farms in Wasan.

While the government provided subsidies for the fertilisers, Hj Mohammad said padi farmers in Wasan at times face difficulties in obtaining adequate amounts of fertilisers to be administered to their padi plantations.

Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Hj Mohd Sahlan of KOSEKA said that for NPK 15-15-15, the full price is $50 per gunny sack, while the NPK 12-12-17 TE is priced at $60.

The government, he said, provides a 50 per cent subsidy on the prices of each.

While the fertilisers may not be enough, Hj Mohammad said some farmers may resort to getting fertilisers by themselves, especially the NPK15-15-15, which they could obtain for $50 by importing it from China.

This, he said, is needed as the fertilisers had proven to allow their padi to flourish, and the NPK 12-12-17 will then be used especially to ensure that the padi would produce better grains when it comes to the harvesting period.

Need for better irrigation

Hj Mohammad and Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Hj Mohd Sahlan both highlighted the need for adequate supply of water to replenish the padi farms, ensuring their growth.

In providing the supply, however, Hj Mohammad said the mukims and KOSEKA may have to take turns in opening up their supply channels to allow water to reach the padi due to the limited capacity of the Imang Dam in Mukim Pengkalan Batu.

However, he said if every farmer in Wasan is able to get the water supply and plant at the same time, the rate of padi production may rise sharply, but doing so would depend on the government and how they think would be the best way to address the problem.

Meanwhile, to address the irrigation problems of padi farms, specifically in Brunei-Muara district, a couple of projects were proposed by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, including expanding the capacity of the Imang Dam.

The Imang Dam is used to supply water for irrigation to all plantations in Wasan, Bebuloh, Panchor Murai, Batong, Junjongan and Limau Manis farm plantations.

The proposed project would increase the dam’s capacity by 10 per cent from its current capacity of 8 million cubic metres of water to 8.8 million cubic metres.

The project would also entail improvements of the water pump at the dam’s pumping station that supplies to the holding tank.

The holding tank near the dam distributes water for irrigation to all padi plantations in Brunei-Muara district.

The Acting Assistant Director of Agriculture at the DAA, Saidin Namit, said recently that the water pump is the main problem when it comes to the irrigation of the padi plantations. He said it is unable to replenish the water in the holding tank fast enough to maintain a high pressure to ensure that the water supply reaches all padi plantations.

Saidin added that the department has finalised all the paperwork for the proposed project, but its implementation will depend on this year’s budget allocation, which will be addressed at the Legislative Council meeting.

The target of 60 per cent self-sufficiency in rice was first set in 2009 by the then Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and was supposed to be reached by 2015.

Former Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar announced at last year’s Legislative Council meeting that Brunei would not reach the 60 per cent target as planned.

Since the failure to reach the target, there hasn’t been any clear-cut new target set for Brunei in its bid to be self-sufficient in rice, and a report last year had stated that the country was only four per cent self-sufficient.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Majority of Brunei farms suitable for rice production: study

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A MAJORITY of areas that are used for rice production in the Brunei-Muara and Temburong district have been identified as environmentally suitable for commercial production, according to government studies.

In a press statement sent by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) yesterday, a presentation was delivered regarding the ‘Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Studies’ at the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood headquarters earlier this week.

The findings revealed that the areas that will contribute significantly to national rice production include Wasan, Junjongan, Panchor Murai, Batong and parts of Batang Perhentian in Brunei-Muara district. Selapon and Sipal in Temburong district were also included.

“However, areas like Bebuloh and parts of Batang Perhentian in the Brunei-Muara district and Lekiun-Perdayan and Senukoh in Temburong district have limitations,” the statement read.

These limitations, the statement added, prevent further expansion and mechanised cultivation of the areas mentioned due to deep peat soil. “The study has recommended the formulation and enforcement of regulations to restrict the use of peat soil for rice cultivation and other crop production activities,” read the statement.

The studies also revealed that currently, all project areas are free from nitrate and pesticide contamination as the current usage of fertilisers and pesticides are still within the controlled safe limit.

During the presentation, appropriate mitigation measures were suggested to prevent or minimise the impact to the environment.

These measures include recycling rice straws as fertiliser through composting and reducing the use of pesticides through integrated pest management.

An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was also formulated and proposed, added the statement.

The plan includes monitoring the environmental impacts of rice production areas.

The findings were presented by Technotest Sdn Bhd, represented by Dr Biswajeet Pradhan, an Associate Professor from the University Putra Malaysia.

The event was attended by the Acting Deputy director of Agriculture and Agrifood, Hjh Khartini Hj Musa as well as senior officers and staff from the department.

“The main objective of the studies was to assess the impact of commercial rice production development on the environment,” read the statement. - Wail Wardi Wasil

Sumber - The Brunei Times

Gov’t to launch new inbred rice variety to boost local output

Wail Wardi Wasil
BRUNEI-MUARA

THE Department of Agriculture and Agrifood will launch a new type of inbred rice that is more drought-tolerant to boost domestic padi production.

An agronomist from the department, Khairunnisa Hj Omar Ali, said the new inbred rice line named Brunei Darussalam Rice 5 (BDR5) is developed from cross-breeding between Laila rice (a modern rice variety) and beras pusu (a popular traditional rice variety in Brunei).

In an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday, she said the BDR5 can be a replacement for traditional rice varieties because it has inherited the drought tolerant characteristics of traditional rice but has the higher yield of modern rice varieties.

The BDR5 has the potential to produce three to five metric tonnes per hectare, she said.

The agronomist explained that traditional rice varieties are drought tolerant but produces a low yield with an average of one metric tonne per hectare.

She said traditional rice varieties can be planted in rain-fed areas that do not require irrigation and only relies on rain.

Modern varieties such as Laila rice cannot do this and can only be planted in areas with irrigation because they need a lot of water, she added.

“This will create a positive impact on the domestic rice production because half of the rice production areas in Brunei still do not have access to proper irrigation infrastructure,” she said.

She added that BDR5 is also shorter in height compared to traditional rice varieties, which reduces the risk of the plant dislodging from the soil, adding that is a common problem that is experienced by tall rice varieties.

“The initial cross-breeding was made around 2002 and 2003, and through years of selection process, the line is now being planted by 85 farmers in 70 hectares of padi fields to assess its sustainability for large scale planting.

“Prior to the trial, the department has also conducted sensory tests on BDR5 and found it to be acceptable, in terms of taste, by consumers in Brunei Darussalam,” said the agronomist.

Khairunnisa said the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood is targeting to launch BDR5 officially this year, depending on the success of the trial.

“We (the department) will continue to strengthen our research and development activities in order raise farmer’s productivity in a sustainable manner,” she added.

It was previously reported that Brunei fell short of meeting its rice self-sufficiency target of 60 per cent by 2015.

Domestic production of rice increased from 1,230 metric tonnes in 2013 to 1,380 metric tonnes in 2014.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Pollinating Beras Titih variety still problem for farmers

Penghulu of Mukim Pengkalan Batu Hj Tahir Hj Tarif said recently that farmers are facing
problems in an effort to planting Brunei’s first hybrid rice variety namely Beras Titih

Khai Zem Mat Sani
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

FARMERS are facing problems in an effort to planting Brunei’s first hybrid rice variety namely Beras Titih, especially in terms of pollinating the species, says Penghulu of Mukim Pengkalan Batu.

Hj Tahir Hj Tarif told The Brunei Times that hybrid rice is produced by crossbreeding different kinds of rice, and there is a lot of obstacles in planting the padi as farmers have to do it manually in terms of pollinating process.

“We started planting the Beras Titih strain in 2012; pollination is a main concern for farmers as it is difficult to maintain pollinator populations of the padi. However, if pollination is successful, it  will generate a lot of rice,” said Hj Tahir.

He said that if the pollination fails to occur, farmers have to do it manually by using stick and shake the pollen parent (Self or hand pollination). “It's really time consuming and more people are needed when we do it manually.

“Besides hand-pollination, farmers also can apply plant hormones for the pollination of the padi. However, the price of the hormone is very expensive in which one kilogramme cost more than $100,000.

“The Beras Titih strain can only be planted once and typically there is no second generation that can be used for the next plantation activities,” he said.

He went on to say about the benefits of the Beras Titih. “It’s better than Padi Laila as it can produce higher yields and it’s resistant to disease as well as can survive without sufficient amount of water.”

“The Beras Titih strain has been planted at 0.7 hectares twice before. It produced more than seven to 10 metric tonnes. Meanwhile, other beras type can only produce at least four to six tonnes,” said Hj Tahir.

He said that with a good management and planting procedure, it would produce good result of rice in terms of its taste, quality and quantity.

Hj Tahir also talked about the pest issues that they faced.

“It is suggested to not focus on one type of padi for a long time. We need to plant different types of padi once in a while to avoid pests developing their homes in the padi area,” he said, adding that, different types of padi attract different pests.

Last year, the minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Ali Hj Apong told The Brunei Times that it’s important for farmers to choose and plant the best padi seeds that can produce more rice or a higher yield, as this can directly contribute to the nation’s revenue.

“Anyone who is involved in this field needs to improve their productivity by collaborating with each other. This can indirectly help increase and improve padi production,” he said.

“Currently one farmer is handling one hectare of land; actually one farmer can handle more than that.

“For example, five farmers to handle 10 hectares, this can reduce the labour cost, it doesn’t matter local or foreigners as long as we can reduce the labour cost through collaborative efforts,” he said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Crops badly affected by floods

Darren Chin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

FARMERS at the Wasan rice plantation fields are facing a poor harvest yield this quarter after floods damaged their latest batch of rice crops.

The heavy downpour on Saturday night caused flooding in low-lying areas where the Wasan rice plantation fields are located.

Rice farmers blamed the poor flow of the river irrigating the fields as the cause of flooding.

“The river is usually dirty, with rubbish and tall weeds obstructing the river flow,” said a rice farmer at Wasan who declined to be named.

“Furthermore, the drainage under the bridges built over the river are just too small and narrow compared to the width of the river, causing the water to bottleneck which subsequently causes the river to burst its banks during heavy rainfall,” he said.

However, the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism cited the unusual weather patterns as the instigator of the natural disaster.

“The flooding happened due to extraordinarily heavy rainfall caused by the current weather system that is affecting the whole region,” said Hj Khairuddin Hj Abd Hamid.

“The Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department has already issued several advisories for low-lying areas where rice plantations are located beforehand,” he said.

He also assured farmers that the case is being handled by the authorities and urged the affected parties to be patient while reminding that the flooding has consequences not just for the agricultural sectors but also affects the public such as public roads and houses.

“The Department of Agriculture and Agrofood (DAA) will continue to monitor the situation and will continue to work with the Department of Drainage and Sewerage at the Public Works Department to address the problem,” he said.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, another farmer who also did not wished to be identified said that their woes started three days ago when the fields were flooded after heavy rainfall during Friday night.

“It was already flooded by Saturday morning but we were hoping that it would drain out by today (Sunday) but Saturday night’s rain just made the flooding even worse and there is no way it will drain out by Monday now,” he said.

“The water levels in the field are now chest-deep, completely covering all the plants except the top of the mature plants which were a couple of weeks away from harvest,” he said.

He also explained that based on his experience, the rice plants in the flooded fields are as good as gone.

“It takes about 90 days for the seedlings to grow big enough for harvest but if the stalk of the rice plants are submerged in water for three days or more, especially the ones still at the early stages of growth, it will cause the rice plant to die,” he explained.

“The rice plants you can see now are actually about more than four feet high but all you can see is the top of the plants of which about one foot is visible – plants which are quite near harvest time,” he said.

He further explained that now they will be under pressure to meet the production quotas set by the Department of Agriculture and Agrofood now that the crops are damaged.

“We could probably still harvest the rice which were a couple of weeks away from harvest and would be edible but it will not be in saleable condition as the quality won’t be acceptable by the Department nor the consumers,” he said.

Farmers for now are bracing themselves for the financial losses for the current batch of damaged crops.

According to another farmer, who wished to be known only as Hj Nizam, whose rice plantations were affected by the floods, his lot of rice plantation could have produced more than three tons of rice valued at $4,800.

“Furthermore, for each lot that could have produced three tons of Laila rice if the flood had not occurred, we are facing losses between $2,000 to $3,000 in the capital that was put into planting the rice,” he said.

“That’s just the expenses that had to be paid before harvest. We also have to make post-harvest payments such as the installments for the subsidised machinery and other farm equipments provided by the government,” he said.

When asked whether farmers would be compensated for the losses due to the natural disaster, the Deputy Permanent Secretary stated that it was unlikely.

“Compensations are seldom made for damage to personal properties like rice plantations in general due to naturally-occuring incidents such as flooding,” he stated.

“However, the DAA will nevertheless help the farmers start the next season of rice planting with technical assistance once the conditions permit them to do so,” he said.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Rice farming for food security

Abdul Aziz Ismail
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

CONCERNS over food security prompted Brunei to prioritise agricultural output in recent years, but the government fell short of meeting its rice self-sufficiency target.

In 2009, the government set the goal of 60 per cent rice self-sufficiency by this year, but figures showed that efforts have not paid off.

It was reported in March this year that Brunei’s rice production was far from the 60 per cent target set by the then Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, now known as Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT).

Self-sufficiency in rice production was only at four per cent last year, said a former senior official at MPRT.

Former minister Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar had said domestic production of rice increased from 1,230 metric tonnes in 2013 to 1,380 metric tonnes last year. Figures for this year were not made available.

Earlier this year, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Primary Resources and Tourism Hj Khairuddin Hj Abd Hamid, had said the agriculture sector contributes only 0.4 per cent to Brunei’s gross domestic product (GDP).

After falling short of reaching the rice self-sufficiency target, the government continued its initiatives to increase padi production this year.

Rice varieties

The sultanate developed various hybrid rice strains over the years as one way of achieving its output goals.

This included the Laila rice strain, which was introduced and renamed from Brunei Darussalam Rice 1 in 2009 to assist in achieving the self-sufficiency target.

In July, more Laila rice padi seedlings were planted over 50 hectares of land by 21 local farmers at the Kg Limau Manis Agricultural Development Area.

The planting hoped to boost the Limau Manis Village Consultative Council’s economic growth and contribute to the target.

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Ali Hj Apong, who was appointed as minister of primary resources and tourism this year, had said his ministry will continue to diversify the country’s rice planting methods and boost production by increasing the use of its domestically developed hybrid rice strain.

He said the sultanate’s first home-grown hybrid rice strain called Beras-Titih can be used efficiently to establish more paddy plantations and increase rice output.

In 2012, the Beras Titih was introduced as part of a project between the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood and Sunland Agri-tech Sdn Bhd.

Challenges

Challenges continue to affect farmers in increasing their rice production.

One of the challenges was pests in rice crops, which often hinder the effectiveness of production as the pests feed on the roots, stems, leaves and grains of padi.

In October, concerns over the inconsistent growth of rice production were also raised as some padi farms faced water supply issues in the Limau Manis agricultural area.

The ministry had said it was trying to resolve the issue by introducing better irrigation systems to ensure the soil is dry enough to be plowed.

The government has also been working to improve the quality and capability of the farms as the ministry believes that the rice self sufficiency target can still be achieved through better farming and farmlands.

The ministry is currently developing the National Biosafety Framework to minimise the potential risks and improve Brunei’s food security management and infrastructure.

Initiatives

The government has carried out initiatives and efforts to increase rice production through incentive schemes.

The schemes included the buy-back programme, improvements to infrastructure and the adoption of advanced production technologies to bump yields and overall productivity.

The ministry has been coordinating with public and private entities to employ agro-industrial research and development efforts, such as selective breeding, tissue culture and cross-breeding.

Furthermore, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood (DAA) introduced the Professional Services for the Wasan-Bebuloh Mechanised Rice Scheme in July to encourage more villagers at Kg Limau Manis to venture into padi farming.

The scheme aimed to improve padi irrigation at Mukim Pengkalan Batu and to provide farms with enough water to meet cultivation needs and boost yearly production.

The government is also targeting youth to pursue a career in padi farming.

In July, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports launched the first youth padi planting course at the Youth Development Centre.

The five-month course aimed to encourage and attract more youth to pursue a career in agriculture.

The course also saw the participants produce 3,540kg of padi worth $5,664.

After the end of the course, the government awarded 18 hectares of land in Kg Bebuloh to the youth farmers to start their rice production.

Under the land agreement, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood will also provide basic farm infrastructure and other incentives such as fertilisers, pesticides, machineries and pricing assistance scheme as well as training programmes and advice from the Brunei Rice Farmers Field School.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Brunei Technical Education’s Wasan Vocational School (IBTE SVW) also held a workshop in August to teach farmers rice cultivation and preparation methods.

The course provided training to the farmers on farming methods to improve the country’s food security and sustainable agriculture.


Sumber - The Brunei Times


Artikel berkaitan:

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Penanaman padi kian merosot

Oleh Siti Nur Wasimah S.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 1 Dis – “Kami telah kehilangan ritual perakong daripada penduduk Belait dan Makan Tahun daripada penduduk Kedayan di mana kedua-dua ritual ini adalah berkaitan dengan pesta selepas musim menuai bagi kedua-dua penduduk ini.

“Saya percaya ramai masyarakat di rantau ini juga mengalami kejadian yang sama,” kata Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof semasa berucap merasmikan Festival Padi ASEAN yang telah berlangsung di Hotel StarLodge, Jerudong hari ini.

Beliau berkata, aktiviti penanaman padi pada masa kini semakin merosot jika dibandingkan dengan masa lalu kerana penglibatan orang ramai secara langsung di dalam proses pengeluaran beras sehingga hari ini semakin berkurangan dan ini termasuklah bagi Negara Brunei Darussalam. Kemerosotan ini mengakibatkan orang ramai lupa akan warisan-warisan budaya yang berkaitan dengan padi.

Menurut Yang Berhormat Pehin lagi, dengan penekanan kerajaan dan inisiatif untuk meningkatkan ‘self-suffiency’ padi negara, aktiviti perancangan padi telah pun diadakan dan berharap agar festival padi ini juga dapat dihidupkan semula.

“Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, selaku kementerian yang bertanggungjawab, saya amat menyokong usaha-usaha yang telah diambil oleh institusi-institusi dan organisasi yang berkaitan dalam usaha memulihkan semula dan memelihara warisan budaya kita yang kaya yang berkaitan dengan padi.”

Menurut Yang Berhormat Pehin, di dalam konteks Negara Brunei Darussalam, sambutan musim selepas musim menuai adalah untuk menunjukkan rasa syukur kepada Allah S.W.T dan membolehkan penanaman padi untuk melaksanakan tanggungjawab zakat mereka.

Beliau menjelaskan, usaha yang telah dilakukan oleh Jabatan Muzium-muzium dalam menganjurkan Festival Padi ASEAN dengan sokongan Sekretariat ASEAN adalah sangat dibanggakan.

Dengan berlangsungnya festival ini, ia akan dapat menggalakkan kerjasama dan persefahaman antara masyarakat dari negara-negara ASEAN untuk berkongsi pelbagai latar belakang budaya mereka di samping memelihara dan memupuk persefahaman budaya dan warisan bersama untuk generasi yang akan datang.


Sumber - Media Permata

Don’t rely on foreign workers, farmers told

Waqiuddin Rajak
BRUNEI MUARA

THE Minister of Home Affairs yesterday urged locals with farm lands granted by the government to avoid being over reliant on foreign workers to manage their farms.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awg Othman said this on the sidelines of a site visit to Kg Lumapas Village Consultative Council yesterday.

The minister explained that the government granted said farmers a lease on the lands to provide the locals and permanent residents an opportunity to contribute to the country’s economic growth.

“But recent reports said that it was as if these foreign workers had become the owners of the farm, while the real ones only remain as owners by name, receiving the output by the end of the month,” he said.

“And this is not healthy, both to our economy and to our long-term population,” he added.

Although this may be profitable, YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Hj Awang Badaruddin discouraged such practice as it would prevent future generations from developing the skills and capabilities required to manage farms.

“It is appropriate that we both come down to the field together and learn to manage the farm.”

The minister also clarified that he did not mean farm owners should not depend on foreign workers because their expertise is in demand for more joint ventures and foreign direct investments, different from the past where locals can farm the fields by themselves.

YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Hj Awang Badaruddin, meanwhile, said yesterday’s visit to the Lumapas Village Consultative Council was conducted to monitor the development of the farm since it was launched in 2013.

It was previously reported that the farm was a project developed to boost the village’s economy and self-sufficiency, especially through the output of its chilli plantations.

He lauded the diligence displayed by the participants, especially in realising their plan to proceed with the chilli farms on the 100-acre land granted by the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources for farming purposes.

“They had chosen to focus on chilli plants for now. If the output is encouraging, it will then become the (leading product) here,” said the minister.


Sumber - The Brunei Times

Jamin keselamatan dan sekuriti makanan

Oleh Sim Y. H.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 17 Mac – Kementerian Perindustrian dan Sumber-Sumber Utama (KPSSU) terus melaksanakan pelbagai insiatif bagi mempercepatkan usaha mempelbagaikan ekonomi negara melalui penyediaan iklim perniagaan dan perekonomian yang lebih kondusif; menangani isu sekuriti makanan; dan meningkatkan sosioekonomi negara.

Usaha-usaha berterusan yang dilaksanakan bagi mencapai hasrat itu adalah dengan menumpukan kepada usaha di dalam empat kluster utama iaitu Sekuriti Makanan, Mempelbagaikan Ekonomi, Sosio Ekonomi, dan Kluster Pembangunan Pengusaha Mikro, Kecil dan Sederhana (PKS) serta Koperasi.

Penumpuan kepada empat kluster utama itu diutarakan oleh Menteri Perindustrian dan Sumber-Sumber Utama, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar ketika menyampaikan mukadimah mengenai peruntukan bagi KPSSU di persidangan Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, hari ini

“Saya ingin mengambil peluang di peringkat awal ini untuk menjelaskan penekanan dan fokus Kementerian Perindustrian dan Sumber-Sumber Utama bagi tahun 2015/2016 di mana Kementerian ini telah dicadangkan untuk disediakan dengan peruntukan sebanyak $82,194,880.”

Yang Berhormat Pehin menjelaskan di bawah Kluster Sekuriti Makanan kementeriannya akan terus menumpukan kepada usaha-usaha untuk memastikan keselamatan dan sekuriti makanan negara adalah terjamin memandangkan ia adalah perkara asas dan mustahak.

“Sektor pendokong dalam kluster ini adalah Sektor Pertanian dan Agri-makanan, serta Perikanan di mana fokus belanjawan untuk tahun kewangan 2015/2016 berkisar kepada meneruskan usaha-usaha untuk meningkatkan keupayaan dan produktiviti pengeluaran sektor-sektor ini.”

Yang Berhormat Pehin menjelaskan bahawa penekanan diberikan kepada pelaksanaan program untuk membangunkan dan menaik taraf prasarana pengeluaran; meningkatkan produktiviti dan kualiti pengeluaran; mengoptimumkan kawasan kemajuan sedia ada; memperbaiki sistem pengurusan; memindah dan menyerapkan teknologi moden; memperbaiki sistem pasaran; penyelidikan dan pembangunan (R&D) serta Piawaian dan persijilan.

Sementara itu, dalam Kluster Mempelbagaikan Ekonomi, KPSSU telah mengenal pasti Industri Halal dan Industri Bio sebagai industri yang boleh dikembang majukan dalam usaha untuk menarik pelaburan langsung asing (FDI).

“Dalam hal ini, Kementerian Perindustrian dan Sumber-Sumber Utama telah mengenal pasti kawasan seluas 500 hektar di Kampung Tungku, Mukim Gadong, Daerah Brunei dan Muara, yang diberi nama ‘Bio Innovation Corridor’ (BIC) bagi menempatkan pelaburan asing dan usaha sama dalam Industri Halal sama ada dalam pengeluaran produk-produk makanan, kosmetik atau produk perubatan dan penyediaan perkhidmatan Halal.

“Dengan menggunakan peruntukan Rancangan Kemajuan Negara, Fasa 1 seluas 50 hektar telah siap dimajukan dengan infrastruktur asas seperti jalan, bekalan elektrik dan bekalan air dan sedia untuk ditawarkan kepada pelabur-pelabur.

“Beberapa ‘Multinational companies’ (MNCs) telah berminat untuk beroperasi di kawasan ini.”

Yang Berhormat Pehin menjelaskan lagi bahawa industri kedua adalah industri berasaskan bio atau sumber alam yang mana di bawah industri itu, KPSSU telah dan akan menyediakan asas-asas dan prasarana bagi memanfaatkan khazanah sumber-sumber alam semula jadi negara bagi tujuan komersil dalam jangka masa panjang.

Di antara usaha yang ditumpukan adalah memantapkan pengurusan sumber-sumber kepelbagaian bio (‘Biodiversity Resources Management’).

Yang Berhormat Pehin turut menyatakan bahawa sektor perhutanan juga merupakan salah satu sektor utama yang mendokong kluster berkenaan yang mana Dasar Kerajaan adalah untuk memastikan pengurusan sumber hutan negara yang lestari atau “sustainable”.

“Satu langkah yang akan diambil adalah memberhentikan, secara berperingkat-peringkat, penuaian atau pembalakan di kawasan hutan yang berstatus Hutan Simpan.

“Rancangan jangka panjang adalah untuk meningkatkan kapasiti ekonomi negara bagi mendapatkan faedah sosio-ekonomi yang lebih bernilai tinggi daripada sumber hutan Negara sehingga mampu menjana pelaburan langsung asing (FDI).”

Bagi kluster ketiga, iaitu Kluster Sosio Ekonomi, Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata sektor pendokong dalam kluster berkenaan adalah Sektor Pembuatan dan Perkhidmatan serta Pelancongan.

“Kementerian Perindustrian dan Sumber-Sumber Utama telah dan terus menyediakan kemudahan-kemudahan untuk menggalak pertumbuhan industri pembuatan dan perkhidmatan.”

Tapak dan kompleks-kompleks industri dibangunkan bagi tujuan untuk mengembang majukan sektor pembuatan dan perkhidmatan dengan menempatkan perusahaan-perusahaan tersebut di tapak-tapak atau kompleks industri BINA; menarik pelaburan (tempatan dan asing) dalam sektor pembuatan dan perkhidmatan dan menjana peluang perusahaan untuk pengusaha-pengusaha rakyat jati.


Sumber - Media Permata

Lonjak pengeluaran beras, kembang sektor tanaman

Oleh Sim Y. H.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 17 Mac – Pengeluaran padi atau beras di Negara Brunei Darussalam menunjukkan peningkatan tetapi ia tidak mencapai sasaran 60 peratus yang diharapkan menjelang 2015 dan adalah lebih jauh daripada yang diharapkan.

Namun begitu, hasil pengeluaran beras negara telah meningkat dari tahun-tahun sebelumnya yang mana pada 2014, negara berjaya meningkatkan penghasilan beras daripada sebanyak 1,230 tan kepada 1,380 tan.

Setelah mendapati bahawa tahap 60 peratus tidak dapat dicapai, beberapa perkara telah dikenal pasti perlu ditangani untuk meningkatkan pengeluaran beras dengan cepat, di antaranya adalah infrastruktur pengeluaran yang belum berada di tahap optimum iaitu ladang-ladang pengeluaran padi pada masa ini belumlah sesuai untuk mencapai pengeluaran yang lebih cepat.

“Ini telah pun diuruskan dan peruntukan telah disiapkan dalam peruntukan-peruntukan tahunan dan juga peruntukan Belanjawan Rancangan Kemajuan Negara untuk meningkatkan infrastruktur pengeluaran ladang-ladang di negara ini.”

Perkara itu dijelaskan oleh Menteri Perindustrian dan Sumber-Sumber Utama, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar semasa Majlis Mesyuarat Negara yang bersidang untuk hari ke-9 di Bangunan Dewan Majlis, hari ini.

Kawasan-kawasan padi yang berkualiti telah pun meningkat dan diharap usaha itu dapat melonjakkan pengeluaran padi negara dengan keupayaan ladang berkenaan dan juga dengan kebolehan para petani untuk mengeluarkan hasil yang lebih tinggi. Yang Berhormat Pehin menjelaskan perkara ini ketika menjawab persoalan yang dikemukakan oleh Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Maharaja Kerna Dato Paduka Seri Haji Yaakub bin Pehin Orang Kaya Maharaja Diraja Dato Paduka Haji Zainal mengenai tahap pengeluaran padi di Negara Brunei Darussalam dan usaha untuk mengembangkan sektor tanaman seperti sayur-sayuran dan buah-buahan supaya negara mampu mencapai sara diri.

Di samping itu, Yang Berhormat Pehin menyatakan bahawa usaha-usaha yang telah diperkenalkan untuk meningkatkan lagi pengeluaran padi adalah dengan mendapatkan jenis atau variety padi yang mengeluarkan hasil yang banyak atau high yield variety, di mana beberapa jenis padi telah dikenal pasti mampu untuk mencapai pengeluaran padi atau beras yang tinggi.

Mengulas mengenai usaha untuk meningkatkan hasil-hasil pertanian lain yang dimajukan, Yang Berhormat Pehin menyatakan bahawa pengeluaran sayur-sayuran dan buah-buahan pada masa ini, belum berada pada tahap yang memuaskan.

Tetapi usaha giat dilaksanakan untuk mempertingkatkan lagi pengeluaran sektor pertanian dengan penyediaan bantuan-bantuan dan usaha untuk meningkatkan prasarana ladang-ladang.

Selain daripada sayur-sayuran, ulas Yang Berhormat Pehin, berikutan dengan penjenamaan Jabatan Pertanian menjadi Jabatan Pertanian dan Agrimakanan, pengeluaran produk-produk utama pertanian (Primary Sources) seperti padi dan bahan-bahan pertanian juga dipertingkatkan.

“Agrimakanan bertujuan untuk mengembang majukan pertanian itu melalui pemprosesan bahan-bahan pertanian. Jadi ini diharap akan menjadi satu peningkatan dalam pengeluaran bahan-bahan makanan atau pembuatan barang-barang pertanian.” Sementara itu, Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Negara, Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Hajah Salbiah binti Haji Sulaiman mengulas mengenai usaha kerajaan untuk mempelbagaikan ekonomi negara khususnya dalam mengembangkan perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) negara adalah amat dialu-alukan.

Dalam hubungan usaha pihak kerajaan untuk memajukan PKS tempatan, beliau mencadangkan supaya kerajaan menubuhkan sebuah agensi khas sama ada bersifat seperti Lembaga Kemajuan Ekonomi Brunei atau sebuah perbadanan supaya segala langkah dapat dijalankan secara teratur dan berkesan serta pengawasan dan penilaian dapat dibuat secara menyeluruh dan berterusan.

“Dengan adanya agensi khas itu nanti, maka Lembaga Kemajuan Ekonomi Brunei bolehlah menumpukan kepada kerja-kerja FDI dan industri ICT sementara agensi khas itu nanti akan menumpukan kepada PKS.”

Di samping itu juga, Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Hajah Salbiah berpandangan bahawa keengganan PKS untuk terus berkembang menunjukkan bahawa PKS mempunyai kapasiti rendah yang mana kapasiti itu memerlukan peningkatan dan bukan hanya dari segi kapasiti kewangan sahaja tetapi juga kapasiti syarikat menjalankan operasinya yang mempunyai hubung kait dengan kewujudan suasana pro-perniagaan yang betul seperti kewujudan undang-undang dan prosedur yang mungkin menyekat perkembangan PKS.

Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Hajah Salbiah juga mencadangkan bagi penubuhan sebuah Pusat Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan (Research and Development) yang dikhaskan untuk membantu meningkatkan kapasiti PKS supaya mereka tidak akan berhenti setakat tangga pertama sahaja.

Mengulas cadangan yang dikemukakan itu, Yang Berhormat Pehin Dato Seri Setia Haji Yahya berkata berhubung dengan PKS itu, satu badan khas telah ditubuhkan yang mana salah satu tugas badan khas itu adalah untuk menimbangkan cara untuk meningkatkan kapasiti pengusaha-pengusaha mikro, kecil dan sederhana negara termasuk juga keupayaan-keupayaan mengadakan perkembangan penyelidikan dan pembangunan.


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