Indonesia Develops New Rice Varieties

Cibinong (Antara Bali) - Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) has invented two fast growing rice varieties, the regional agriculture office of Bogor regency said.

The two varieties named Mira-1 and Sidenuk are being developed in the regency of Bogor in cooperation with Batan's Dissemination Center, M Zairin, the head of the regional agriculture office said.

Mira-1 and Sidenuk are not inferior in quality to Cianjur Pandang Wangi rice, which is known for its high quality in the country, M Zairin said here today.

"Mira-1 and Sidenuk are superior in that they are ready for harvest in 100 days including 15 days for nursery as against six months for Pandan Wangi," he said here today.

The two varieties have been grown in a number of areas in the regency of Bogor. In the areas of Jonggol and Caringin, harvest of Mira-1 reached 9.9 tons and Sidenuk 8.6 tons per hectare.

The introduction of the new varieties is expected to contribute to boosting the country's production of the staple food, he said.

He said the regional agriculture office has continued to cooperate with Batan in producing high yield varieties of food crops to increase food production in the area.(*/M038/T007)