The tests on the white rice were conducted in Bogor from Wednesday, June 26 to Friday, June 28, and if found suitable, it would be approved for planting in all regions of Indonesia.
Parit Malintang, (ANTARA) - The Directorate General of Food Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, assessed the white rice variety of Padang Pariaman Anai (Papanai) which had been tested, to decide whether it should be distributed and planted nationally. "This variety is the result of the development of the Padang Pariaman Agriculture Office and is a superior food crop," said Padang Pariaman Head of Agriculture and Food Security Yurisman Jacob at Parit Malintang, Thursday.

The tests on the white rice were conducted in Bogor from Wednesday, June 26 to Friday, June 28, and if found suitable, it would be approved for planting in all regions of Indonesia, he said.

This variety is suitable to be distributed throughout Indonesia because it has a number of advantages, he believed.

The advantages it has is that it is resistant to brown planthopper pests, blast disease, high production with an average of 7.28 tons per hectare, whiter, and tastes good.

Currently, rice is only being developed and cultivated in three sub-districts in Padang Pariaman, namely Lubuk Alung, Kampung Dalam, and Sungai Limau, he said.

"About 40 percent of our production is made into seeds so that it can be developed into other regions, while the rest is consumed by the public," he said.

The Papanai variety of rice gets its name from the area in Padang Pariaman and Anai is the name of the Anai dam which supplies 25 percent of water for agriculture in the area.

The variety is purified from white rice and has received a certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture in February 2019.

The presence of the Papanai white had really benefited the farmer because a number of other types of rice, namely IR 42 and Batang Piaman had fallen prey to the brown planthopper, he revealed.

Previously, five local varieties from Kabupaten Padang Pariaman that farmers could use to improve the economy, had been recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture.

"The acknowledgment is to state that the variety only exists in Padang Pariaman," he said.

The five local varieties from Padang Pariaman district are Papanai white rice, Talantam durian fruits of Kayu Tanam, durian of Kunyik Patamuan, Ampaweh guava, and fragrant areca nut.



Translator: Altas Maulana/Eliswan Azly
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019