Brunei conducting tests on Vietnam rice varieties

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - BRUNEI is conducting studies on 10 Vietnamese rice varieties, testing them for yield and suitability to local soil conditions.

The Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) is conducting the tests in Wasan.

In a press statement, the ministry’s Department of Agriculture and Agrifood stated that a workshop was conducted yesterday to speak about the progress of the rice varieties being grown.

In a telephone interview with The Brunei Times, the event guest of honour, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Haji Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, said that planting started in September, and the department can expect to see results as early as December.

He added that this is part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that the Sultanate and Vietnam signed earlier this year. The MoU which was signed in May covers agricultural production and fisheries, development of halal initiatives and the exchange of plant and animal genetic resources.

The two ASEAN countries have also agreed to cooperate on preservation and processing technology for agriculture and fisheries products, trade in agriculture and fisheries resources and raw products, as well as investment in the development of the sector.

The minister said that the 10 varieties of rice are currently being grown in two acres of land. Two studies will be focused on the suitability of the grains to Brunei soil.

“Some of the concerns raised by local farmers from Wasan, who we invited for the workshop, was in regards to whether the varieties would be susceptible to diseases and whether they would be suitable for Brunei’s highly acidic soil,” he said.

The minister said that the grain varieties were selected by the government of Vietnam to suit Brunei’s acidic soil.

Asked about whether this would mean Brunei would start to purchase these rice varieties, the minister said that they would wait for the report on these 10 varieties.

The department stated that the feasibility study using the varieties selected from this workshop will be extended further in the next planting season on a ‘large-scale’, to be based in the four districts, to assess their suitability in rain-fed areas.

“It is hoped that the results obtained from this study will contribute to enhancing domestic rice production to achieve self-sufficiency in rice, and thus strengthening the country’s food security,” stated the release.

Also present at yesterday’s workshop held at the Agricultural Development Area for Padi in Wasan was His Excellency Luu Xuan Dong, deputy chief of mission at the Vietnamese Embassy to Brunei, Mohd Riza Dato Paduka Hj Yunos, acting permanent secretary of MIPR, Haji Saidin Salleh, acting deputy permanent secretary in the development of key resources, Hajah Kartini Haji Musa, head of research and development of key resources, department heads and senior officers of the MIPR, village heads, officers and staff of the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and rice operators from the four districts.

The Brunei Times