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Ledang Agriculture Department officer Jamaludin Md Zin said the department and Mardi had developed a new padi variety which could overcome the problem.
He said the new variety called ‘MR220CL1’ was introduced in Perak and managed to prevent the spread of padi angin.
“We decided to introduce the new variety in Kesang Tasek after we noted the padi fields here are filled with the wild or weedy padi crop.
“Wild padi can spread fast by the wind as they are light,” he said at the Ledang Agriculture Departments Farm Day celebrations recently.
Jamaludin added that in some fields, the wild padi would fill larger areas than the normal crops which affects the farmer’s income.
He said the farmers also need to mow the wild rice and some had resorted to spraying weed killer to clear their fields before they could plant the normal padi.
In relation to the matter, Ledang MP Hamim Samuri said padi farmers in the village had struggled hard to clear their fields of the wild crop but with little success.
He added that with the introduction of the new padi variety, he hoped they would reap a good harvest soon and increase their income.
Hamim said although the new seedling would cost RM110 per 20kg, it was worth it as the variety would not only produce high grade rice, it is also resistant to the spread of the wild crop.
“We hope the farmers here will cultivate their fields together to ensure they enjoy good harvest together every season.”
SOURCE: THE STAR, APRIL 18, 2011
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