Penang is ready to be a pioneer in planting ratoon rice, which allows for a second harvest without replanting, says chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said the state government has submitted the proposal to the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (Mardi) to jointly explore the technology.
State executive councillor Fahmi Zainol said Mardi was awaiting help from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, a major agriculture research institution in China, to help plant ratoon rice in Mardi areas in Pinang Tunggal for the new padi season next month.
Chow said the ratoon rice technology can replace the traditional method of planting once and harvesting once.
“Penang is ready to be the pioneer state for this technology, which is more efficient, sustainable and high impact,” he said after visiting an agriculture carnival in George Town today, Bernama reported.
Ratooning is a farming technique that allows for two harvests in a single cropping season by growing a second crop from the stubble of the first, a practice also known as “stubble cropping”.
Chow said the second harvest for ratoon-planted rice only takes 70 days, with the crop harvestable up to four times a year, with two rounds of planting.
Fahmi said he had submitted a request to the agriculture and food security ministry for funds to upgrade the state’s padi infrastructure.
