Posted date: July 26, 2015 In: Headline, National

Company to supply seedlings to local farms

| James Kon |

SINCE 2008, Syarikat Chantika with the cooperation of the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood under theMinistry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) has been supplying the seedlings of Laila and MRQ76paddy to var-ious farms in the Brunei-Muara District.

In the latest development, the company is looking to supply vegetable seedlings to local farms.

Currently, Syarikat Chantika is supplying 400 hectares of paddy seedlings to areas like Kg Wasan, Kg BatangPerhentian, Bunga Cawan, Kg Batong, Kg Imang and Kg Berbuloh, which is only half of the company’s fullcapacity.

With up-to-date technologies and planting using a transplanter, the company can produce 1,000 hectares ofpaddy seedlings and is currently waiting for more areas to be open up for paddy farming in the Labi areas.

The development on the supply of vegetable seedlings was revealed by Julie Fong, the General Manager ofSyarikat Chantika during a recent interview.

File photo of Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, the Minister of Industry and

Primary Resources, with officials of Syarikat Chantika during the launching of MRQ76 paddy seedlings

Paddy seedlings produced by Syarikat Chantika. – PHOTOS: JAMES KON

“We are currently building on vegetable seedlings like eggplant, chillies and others, which are favourites in thelocal market. The seedlings are in green houses and will be supplied to farmers by this year,” she said.

She disclosed that Syarikat Chantika has eight green houses that can produce around 80,000 vegetableseedlings and if the new vegetable seedlings are supplied to local farmers, Brunei can produce vegetables onthe large scale.

Working with the local farmers and with the support of MIPR, Syarikat Chantika is looking to contribute inhelping the Sultanate achieve its self-sufficiency in food for the long term.