ALOR SETAR, Sept 11 (Bernama) — The Kedah state government has been urged to consider implementing other development projects, including housing and industry, outside the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) area, especially in regions with high potential for rice production.
MADA Chairman Datuk Dr. Ismail Salleh said the agency is aware of the state government’s need to generate income through land development, but it must be well-planned to ensure national food security.
“We understand the state government’s need for revenue, but we request that this development be carried out outside the MADA area or in areas with low yields… not in high-potential areas like Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, and Yan districts.
“If this development is carried out in areas that already have a complete irrigation system, support infrastructure, farm roads, and so on, it will certainly cause a huge loss to all parties,” he said at a press conference after the 2/2025 Paddy Planting Schedule Setting Meeting here, today.
He was commenting on the plan to open a new paddy cultivation area known as MADA Plus to replace existing rice fields involved in state development, which covers over 15,000 hectares of paddy land.
Dr. Ismail said that in the last 50 years, Kedah has already lost 8,758 hectares of paddy fields due to land use conversion. If the new proposal is approved, Kedah will lose another 15,000 hectares of existing paddy cultivation area.
“MADA is open to discussing with the state government to ensure that the planned development can be carried out in a balanced way for the benefit of all parties. Although the area will decrease, we will implement various initiatives to increase rice yields.
“We guarantee that paddy production in Kedah will not be affected even with the reduction of paddy areas in the Muda area because MADA has taken early steps to expand the paddy fields to ensure production remains stable,” he said.
He mentioned that MADA is working to increase yields through initiatives such as large-scale cultivation (PPSB) and five seasons of planting in two years.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ismail also reminded farmers to adhere to the paddy planting schedule for the 2/2025 Season. The final sowing dates are October 29 for Phase I, November 8 for Phase II, and November 18 for Phase III.
“As of today, the overall status of water storage in MADA’s three dams is 599,322 acre which is 49 percent. The storage in the Ahning Dam is 52.82 percent, followed by the Pedu Dam (50.57 percent) and the Muda Dam (30.56 percent).
“This paddy planting schedule is determined by several factors, including the water storage available for farmers.
“Therefore, farmers are asked to comply with the set schedule and planting methods to ensure optimal paddy yields,” he said.
–BERNAMA
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