Rice production

Some facts and figures from the Agriculture Department, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam:

• Rice requirement in 2007 was 31,242 metric tonnes, estimated to value at 37.05 million dollars.

• At present, local rice production is 982.9 metric tonnes. The amount is equivalent to 3.15 percent of self-sufficiency, based on 0.7 metric tonnes of paddy production per hectare.

• There are some 1,233 paddy farmers in the four districts, and about 1,354 hectares of paddy plantation.

• The majority of rice is imported from other producers. Statistics show that Brunei imports 29,252 metric tonnes of rice, or 96.7 percent, of the requirement.

• Target: BRUNEI is targeting a 20 per cent, equivalent to a 6000 metric ton increase of local rice production by 2010 for its short-term plan and a 60 per cent (equivalent to 18,000 metric tonnes) increase by 2015 for its medium-term plan towards self-sufficiency in the rice production

(extracted from RTB News and The Brunei Times)