FGV Berhad : Educates Farmers on Sustainable Rat Control Through BUTIK S Under Paddy Production Incentive Scheme (SIPP)

ALOR SETAR, 8 JUNE 2022- FGV Holdings Bhd (FGV), through its subsidiary, FGV Agri Services Sdn Bhd (FGVAS) has introduced BUTIK S, a first-generation rodenticide that can be used in integration with barn owls under the Paddy Production Incentive Scheme or Skim Insentif Pengeluaran Padi (SIPP).

BUTIK S is an anticoagulant bait formulated from several ingredients that are palatable for rats. The bait is designed to have the proper weight, shape, and colour to attract rats at all paddy life stages.

FGV Group Chief Executive Officer, Mohd Nazrul Izam Mansor, said FGV group took this initiative to increase farmers' awareness regarding safety aspects especially when it comes to handling rat poison. Through the use of BUTIK S bait which is ready to be applied in the field and less toxic than second-generation rodenticides, the safety of our farmers can be ensured. In addition, BUTIK S is suitable to be implemented in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as it has no secondary effects to the non-target species such as barn owls and cats.

He added, BUTIK S is easy to use, requiring only 40 pieces of bait for 1 hectare, or the equivalent of 12 pieces of bait for each rice field relong. The cost of its application is very competitive and more economical at up to 15 percent per hectare compared to self-mixed rat baits. Through this, paddy production could also be increased, and ultimately would help address the ongoing food shortage crisis.

He reiterated that FGV constantly strives towards providing sustainable agricultural products and solutions to its customers, and is therefore thrilled to engage more closely with our local farmers, particularly in the paddy sector.

According to research conducted, rat infestations can result in losses of up to RM43 million a year or equivalent to 87,332 tonnes of rice or a 5 percent loss of national rice production. Cases of severe rat infestation can cause losses of up to 25 percent.

Previously, farmers use several methods in dealing with rat attacks which include biological control methods using barn owls and mechanical methods such as installing traps and destruction of rat holes. For infestations that are serious, the use of rodenticides is more practical. Nevertheless, safety aspects need to be prioritised, especially when farmers mix their own rat baits to be used in the paddy field.

BUTIK S is registered as a chemical pesticide input under the SIPP program of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) in January 2021. However, efforts to introduce it to the public earlier have been delayed due to the lockdown in 2021.

FGV Agri Services Sdn Bhd collaborates with AMCO Niaga Sdn Bhd, a pesticides supply and distribution company in the agricultural sector, that has extensive marketing chain presence especially for the paddy sector.

Through this strategic partnership, AMCO Niaga Sdn. Bhd is tasked to expand BUTIK S's distribution reach for paddy crops in Malaysia.

FGVAS is an industry leader in the production and supply of high-quality oil palm planting materials, rat bait, bio pesticides and other premium agricultural products. It is also the largest producer of oil palm seeds in Malaysia with an annual market share of about 40 percent. BUTIK S brand is a first-generation rat bait product that is widely used in the oil palm plantation sector.