{
  "id": 20150898,
  "title": "NMR152 rice variety offers hope of higher padi yields for Kedah farmers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/nmr152-rice-variety-offers-hope-of-higher-padi-yields-for-kedah",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-15T09:06:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/regional/2026/11/1578402/nmr152-rice-variety-offers-hope-higher-padi-yields-kedah-farmers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Alor Star: Rice farmers involved in the Kedah Zakat Board's Asnaf Large-Scale Smart Padi Field project may see their yields rise to 11 tonnes per hectare by using a new Nuclear Regulatory Commission-approved rice variety called NMR152. Dr Sobri Hussein, a research officer from the Malaysian Nuclear Agency, explains that the variety was created through nuclear-based mutation breeding, which can boost yields, improve resilience to weather conditions, and enhance agronomical features. However, he clarifies that good farm management practices are essential, as the variety alone could only account for approximately 50% of the increased yields, with the rest relying on farming techniques. Sobri emphasizes that farmers need to pay attention to fertilisation, disease control, and soil conditions to achieve high yields. The research took 10 years to complete, and Sobri hopes that NMR152 will bring better returns to farmers, as he announces the distribution of 2,000kg of certified NMR152 seeds to the Kedah Zakat Board at Kampung Alor Melintang. Sobri reveals that the variety performs well in areas with poor soil conditions and drought-prone regions, where farmers previously struggled to achieve good yields but have seen improvements using NMR152. He assures the public that the variety is safe for cultivation and consumption. Iza Faizal Halim, a participant representative for the SBBA project, expresses hope that the new variety will help the 10 project participants regain their previous highest yields, which were about six to seven tonnes per hectare when they used the 297 variety. Faizal anticipates that NMR152 will help them achieve more than 10 tonnes per hectare, similar to the yields they obtained two years ago. Dr Muhammad Rawi Mohamed Zin, the Malaysian Nuclear Agency director-general, explains that the collaboration with the Kedah Zakat Board aims to assist farmers in increasing their yields and income using NMR152 seeds. He also mentions that the pilot project will evaluate the variety's effectiveness in boosting crop productivity and rice production, creating potential opportunities to enhance farmers' incomes. Syeikh Zakaria, the Kedah Zakat Board chief executive officer, affirms the board's commitment to identifying the best rice varieties and seeking advice from the Malaysian Nuclear Agency on expanding the use of NMR152 across its projects, should the trial prove successful. Zakaria adds that the board remains open to collaborating with various agencies to improve yields, reduce production costs, and share farming practices that could benefit farmers throughout Kedah.",
  "summary": "ALOR STAR: Farmers participating in the Kedah Zakat Board’s (LZNK) Asnaf Large-Scale Smart Padi Field (SBBA) project could potentially increase their yields to 11 tonnes per hectare using a new nuclear technology-based rice variety, NMR152.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}