RICE SUBSIDIES, INCENTIVES & RESEARCH IN MALAYSIA

PADDY GROWING (Oryza sativa) in Malaysia are the third import crop grown with a lot of incentives and subsidy given from government. It was reported that BERNAS acts as the buyer of last resort by procuring paddy from farmers at a GMP of RM1,200/tonne at that time. Farmers receive a subsidy of RM248.10 for every tonne of paddy that is harvested (for the unhusked rice grain) and in addition to another RM650 per metric tonne. They granted as a revenue incentive with at least a 1 % yield increase from the base season. As for input subsidies the paddy farmers get RM200/hectare for pesticide purchases. Further, farmers also receive 240 kg/ha of the compound fertilizer and 80 kg/ha of urea fertilizer per hectare, and 100 kg/ha of organic fertilizer for cultivated rice. Apart from that reported that the ploughing aid is paid at the rate of RM240/ ha. These aids are a huge relief for the farmers as the average cost of production is about RM3,024/hectare at that time. The cost of production (COP) for paddy growing however covers land rent, machinery, input cost and labour. According to the KRI report (2019) that the cost of land rental and machinery is more than 30% of the total input cost which significantly affects the COP in each granary. These two variables have continuously shown increments over the years. In 2020 later reported that National Farmers Organisation (NAFAS) was appointed as the sole distributor for the Certified Paddy Seed Incentive to ensure farmers are not short-changed by the nine seed suppliers in the country. The ceiling price was set at RM35 per 20 kg of rice seeds to overcome price manipulation. Additionally, to cater for low-income households, the maximum retail prices of 15, 10 and 5% of broken rice were capped at RM1.80, RM2.40 and RM2.60 per kilogram (Source: DOA). This article in "Anim Agriculture Technology" blog I shre an information about rice farming in Malaysia regarding the incentives, subsidies and market interventions for all readers.

In other hand that the research and development for rice breeding for yield improvement was done mostly by MARDI. Historically in which before the 1960s, paddy farming was relatively traditional as the operation was heavily reliant on human labour and the use of buffaloes for ploughing. The Japanese occupation introduced off-season varieties such as Ryushu variety, Taichung 65 variety and Pebifun variety from Taiwan for large-scale rice cultivation was mentioned. The first double-cropping variety known as Malinja Paddy Variety was released in 1964 which replaced single-cropping rice varieties such as Nachin 5,057 variety and Serendah Kuning variety in Malaysia. The traditional rice varieties were low yielding (only about 1.4 metic ton/ha) and hence necessitated a shift to double cropping varieties with improved yield. Development and breeding of rice varieties formally began in the 1970's with the establishment of the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI). Nevertheless later the national rice breeding programme under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture had released four rice varieties before the transfer of mandate known as Malinja variety, Mahsuri variety, Ria variety and Bahagia variety. Blog witrer involved in the promotion planting these 4 varieties during that period. The average yield of these varieties was 2.47 mt/ha, double the yield of traditional varieties. Malinja variety and Mahsuri variety were part of the largest in the category of Japonica-indica rice hybridization project that aimed to enhance the yield component and fertilizer response in indica varieties via the integration of japonica’s inherent adaptive traits to local cultural conditions, diseases, and insects at that time in Malaysia reported.

Later in the 1950s reported that Asia was on the brink of famine. In response to global food security, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) actively embarked on a mission to develop high-yielding rice varieties (HYVs) in the 1960s. Various crosses between tall and dwarf rice planting materials were accomplished. Amongst which was the dwarf x tall cross between Dee-geo-woo-gen (dwarf variety from Taiwan) and Peta (tall variety from Indonesia). The discovery of a single recessive gene for shortness (sd-1) in the segregating F2 population led to the development of IR8-288-3 rice variety, after successful multi-location trials in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan (source: IRRI, Manila, 2016). The IR8 rice variety officially released in 1966 was touted as “miracle rice” as it kick-started Green Revolution in rice. Before the release of IR8, it was Dr. De Datta, an agronomist from India who chanced upon the possibility of maximizing yield by examining the fertilizer response of IR8 under dry season. The average rice yield came up to about 9.4 - 10.5 ton/ha which was 50% more than untreated IR8. Dr. Datta’s findings paved the route and laid a significant foundation for IR8 utilization as a prototype in the development of unique national rice varieties in Malaysia, Myanmar, Mexico, Indonesia and many other countries alike. In Malaysia, the Ria rice variety that was released by DOA in 1966 was based on IR8 which underwent massive rebranding. In Malaysia, rice cultivation with IR8 did not sustain long. Farmers refused and rejected to pursue IR8 as the major planting material in their fields due to its poor adaptability and rice quality. Though anticipated to bring sheer joy, the IR8 cultivation turned into unprecedented shocks. As a result, farmers switched back to the use of old varieties (Mahsuri) that offered the promised rice quality and profitable cost of production. According to the report that among other reasons that led to IR8 planting hesitancy among local farmers in Malaysia were high seed and labour costs, poor taste and low rice quality. These factors collectively affected the selling price apart other additional requirements such as precise field conditions as opposed to the existing natural conditions. Then came another HYV, namely IR5 (Bahagia) which had a similar yield to IR8 but exhibited better taste, was long-grained, required less seed and labour inputs, was easier to harvest and thresh and most importantly could be grown on existing field conditions. Thereafter, the drawing board of breeders began scouting for locally adaptive parent planting materials for the development of HYV with better grain quality known as Setanjung, Sekencang and Sekembang.

The pioneering paddy varieties of Malinja, Mahsuri and Bahagia reported that later released by DOA before the establishment of MARDI were bred under the International Rice Commission programme. Selection of genotypes was done in farmers’ field and progressed further at the Rice Research Centre in Cuttack India in which the crossing and breeding of the F1 generation. The phenotypic evaluation of the F2 - F7 generations was conducted in Malaysia before the varieties were released. Since transplanting and harvesting were done manually, these varieties were tall (ease the shattering process) and showed a total of 140 average days to reach maturity. At this time reported that lodging was a serious concern among the local farmers. MARDI embarked on breeding for shorter varieties with an average culm height of 100 -115 cm. Besides lodging therer were a host of plant diseases started cropping up and with blast, bacterial leaf blight, tungro and brown planthopper, to name a few. In 1979 later in which the most preferred rice varieties, both Malinja and Mahsuri severely succumbed to panicle blast. In response to the undesirable yield lost than MARDI released the first blast resistant variety (known as Sekencang or MR7 variety) against P. oryzae. Thereafter a various other blast resistant varieties emerged as preferred planting materials among the local farmers namely, MR 232, MR 253 and MR 263. These varieties were superior than the previously released varieties and were high yielding too. From 1990 to 2006, the focus of research and development activities shifted into selecting semi dwarf plants with an average culm height of 60-90 cm. The ultimate goal was to limit lodging with shorter plants. Hence nowadays reported that teh MR84 variety and MR219 variety with satisfying plant height and yield potential of 6-8 t/ha were released. For the record in which from 1984 till 2002, about 97% of rice granaries in Malaysia were planted with MR84. After which lathe reported that the MR84 variety was displaced by MR219 which then gained preference as popular planting variety among local farmers, and it was reigning for over last 20 years (it was a very popular best paddy variety in Malaysia) Over time the rice breeding strategies gained significant momentum as evident through manipulation of various traits of interest: erect leaves, erect tillers, low tillering capacity, high germination rate, shorter plant height, better rooting structure and panicle-weight type rather than panicle-number type. Among the white rice varieties, the following were successfully bred as part of the high yielding rice production system including thet latest paddy variety known as MR253, MR263, MR269, MR284, MR303. Few of these varieties were able to grow on marginal land and conferred foliar and panicle blast resistant.

In 1999 reported that the aromatic rice MRQ50 was released to expand the rice niche market which was dominated by white rice. Progressing down the road, Mas Wangi (MRQ74) which resembled Basmathi was released thereafter. Comparatively, Mas Wangi displayed a much lower glycemic index and high GABA content than MRQ50. On the other hand MRQ76 (released in 2012) was akin to Jasmine rice. The pioneering glutinous rice varieties were Masria and Pulut Malaysia1 which were released in the 1970s whereas PH9 released in 1990 remained as the only black glutinous rice released in Malaysia. For me while most varieties focused on disease resistance and high yielding, two Clearfield rice varieties namely MR220CL1 and MR220CL2 were released in 2010 to address weedy rice introgression. Clearfield rice varieties were tolerant to the toxic herbicide (imidazolinone) and displayed high yield at 6–9.5 ton/ha. Next, to address the issue of water shortage, an aerobic rice variety, MRIA1 that consume 50% less water was released. While all the rice varieties released by MARDI were pure inbred lines that were initially crossed with two or more different varieties followed by selection of self-pollinating generations till uniform population plants are produced, hybrid rice is basically the F1 progeny. The first 100% local hybrid rice Kadaria 1 developed based on cytoplasmic male sterility was the result of 7-8 years of intensive research and 21 seasons of multi-location trials. F1 progenies display heterosis or hybrid vigor whereby a cross of two very genetically distant parents will produce offsprings that are far superior especially in yield (Teo). During trials, this hybrid rice was capable of producing 15-20% more rice in moderately fertile granaries. In a pioneering trial at KADA, Kadaria managed to double the production, from 4 ton/ha to 8 ton/ha. It was predicted that this hybrid rice could yield up to 10 ton/ha in BLS granary. While MARDI was mandated to lead the national rice breeding R&D, a couple of public universities joined the initiative to secure food security through the generous funding support offered by MOSTI and MOHE. Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) through funding from LRGS for Food Security released 2 rice varieties, namely PadiU Putra 1 and PadiU Putra 2 in 2017. The former is resistant to blast disease and has a yield potential of 12 ton/ha. It is the product of marker-assisted backcross breeding whereby broad-spectrum blast resistance genes (Piz, Pi2 and Pi9) were introgressed from local resistant rice variety (Pongsu Seribu 1) into high-yielding but highly blast-susceptible (MR219). The rice cultivar MR219 was used as the recurrent parent, and Pongsu Seribu 1 was used as the donor. As for PadiU Putra 2, a submergence-tolerant rice variety which could withstand flood, it was developed through marker-assisted backcrossing method. MR219 was used as the recurrent parent while Swarna-Sub1 which possessed the trait for submergence tolerance was the donor; Sub1 gene is the gene for submergence tolerance. Universiti Kebangsaan Malysia (UKM) was the first in the country to release crossbreed rice varieties by crossing O. sativa (MR219 variety) with the wild rice, O. rufipogon. Both UKMRC2 and UKMRC8 are bred through advanced backcrossing techniques. These high-yielding varieties (12-14 ton/ha) are resistant to blast and are submergence tolerant. Besides high-quality white rice, UKM had successfully released a superior red rice variety that is marketed as Primera (UKMRC9). This was the result of conventional breeding which involved controlled cross-breeding between cultivar MR219 and wild rice O. rufipogon. UKMRC9 is suitable for the consumption of diabetic patients as it has a low glycemic index and high antioxidants. In addition to the three varieties above, the University had released three other rice varieties. Thanks....

By,

M Anem,

Senior AGronomist,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(August 2023).

Published

On 7 January 2024