Padi research centre in Jerlun if BN wins
KODIANG, April 21 (Bernama) -- A padi research centre specifically for the northern zone will be built in Jerlun within the next five years if the Barisan Nasional (BN) wins in Kedah.
Incumbent for the Jerlun parliamentary seat, Datuk Othman Aziz said the matter would be included in the Jerlun parliamentary constituency manifesto, a continuation of the BN federal and state manifestos for the 14th General Election (GE14) announced recently.
Othman, who is also Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) chairman, said the centre would conduct research activities on soil, seed and fertiliser that would improve padi production and yields.
"We will apply to the Agriculture and Agro Based Industry Ministry and Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) to set up the centre,"he said after officiating the 'om Turun Bendang' programme here today.
Meanwhile he said the special aid for farmers, worth RM23.4 million, for 39,102 farmers under Mada was expected to be ready for distribution before April 30.
He said so far 1,500 farmers had received the monetary aid since it was distributed April 14 involving an allocation of RM900,000.
On March 27, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a special assistance of RM200 for three months, especially for over 300,000 farmers nationwide.
Najib had also pledged to announce a raise in the special aid on the eve of the GE14 if the BN wins with a big majority.
--BERNAMA
