KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition Member of Parliament has urged the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry to consider a proposal to pause rice planting activities for two years in areas managed by the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada).
Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) made the suggestion, saying that Mada's rice fields in Kedah and Perlis had been continuously cultivated since they were first established, without any period of rest.
"Is the ministry aware that the land in Mada is now quite old, perhaps 70 to 80 years old? It has been in use since before Merdeka and has never had a chance to rest," he said during the ministry's winding-up speech on the 2025 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said that while he supported the idea of increasing planting frequency, this should only be considered after the land had been given a rest period, similar to sugarcane fields, which are rotated after 10 years.
"In Mada, the land has never been rotated, even after 80 years. It's deteriorating due to constant pesticide and chemical use," he added.
Shahidan said that the soil in Mada's fields was so saturated that one's feet could sink up to the knees when walking through them.
"When we enter Mada's fields, our feet sink deep into the soil. We are only managing to survive because we now produce only 1.5 tonnes per hectare, thanks to good irrigation, but overall yields remain at just 1.5 to 2 tonnes per hectare," he said.
He proposed that the government could use the existing subsidies allocated for rice planting to support farmers during a two-year rest period, allowing them to plant other crops during this time.
"Think of it like a 70-year-old person who can no longer have children. If we continue to force the land to yield more by using fertilisers and pesticides but still see poor production, it's because the land has been overused for too long," he said.
In response, Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu acknowledged the concerns but said that the government was exploring solutions through new technologies, including consultations with experts from universities and the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi).
However, he pointed out that countries like Taiwan and the Netherlands did not rest their agricultural land but instead relied on advanced technologies to boost crop yields.
He also highlighted examples where improved methods had led to higher yields, citing areas like Pasir Puteh, where yields could reach up to 10 tonnes per hectare, and similarly in the border area of Kedah and Arau.
"This success is due to various factors, including better field management. One issue we've identified is that rice harvesting machines are too heavy.
"We're in the process of replacing them with lighter machines and implementing other improvements suggested by experts," said Mohamad.
He also said that resting all of Mada's land for two years could require billions in subsidies, and the government must carefully assess its financial capacity before proceeding with such a decision.