A newly formulated compound fertiliser which was developed as a plant booster through the Integrated Padi Growing Management Programme (PTPB) in Kampung Nam Dam here has succeeded in increasing yields at an extraordinary level.
National Farmers' Organisation (NAFAS) board member Datuk Aimi Jusoh said the programme led by NAFAS in collaboration with the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) has proven to increase the yields for 68 farmers involved in padi cultivation on the 70-hectare site.
"This is a pioneer project guided by local padi expert Jaafar Zakaria who has over 25 years of experience in the padi industry. Through PTPB cultivation method, the average yield for one season showed an increase of seven metric tons per hectare compared to 2.95 metric tons previously.
"This is a proud achievement. We have done it in other places here (Kedah), Penang and Perak involving 18,000 hectares, we only supply the fertiliser and leave it to the farmers to use the usual method and still we saw an improvement," he told reporters when met during MARDI board chairman Dr Azman Ismail’s work visit programme, here today.
Meanwhile, Dr Azman said MARDI is also in a strategic research and development (R&D) collaboration with NAFAS in an effort to improve new fertiliser formulations to give the best to farmers, especially in relation to fertiliser and rice seeds.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency