At a time when world markets are seeing a dramatic escalation of food prices, Timor-Leste is celebrating boosted
agricultural production. The First Hybrid Rice Harvest, held in Maliana on 10 June, marked the end of the first planting season in the village of Tapo-Memo, where 80 hectares of paddy-field planted last February have produced an abundant harvest.

Wearing farmer hats, President José Ramos Horta, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, Minister of Agriculture and
Fisheries Mariano Sabino Assanami, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Timor-Leste (SRSG) Atul Khare, and other guests symbolically harvested the crop. President Ramos-Horta congratulated the people of Maliana on the harvest. He said that if the country was going to feed its people, it needed good roads to bring the harvest to market. "If we want to improve our nation, we have to promote agricultural production. But without sufficient roads, we cannot succeed. The Government should rebuild the country's roads into a modern network," he said.

Hybrid rice is the result of scientific research and grows faster than normal rice, enabling farmers to increase their

yield and produce more than one crop. The Government bought more than one ton of seeds from Indonesia and

distributed it free of charge to 55 farmers in the area.

Alvito Noronha, who owns two hectares of paddy in Tapo-Memo, told Radio UNMIT his rice production this year

had increased twice compared to last year. "This is new technology for me," he said. "I'm happy because

I received technical assistance when I needed it."

Timor-Leste produced 62,000 tonnes of rice last year. This year the Government hopes to increase rice

production by 25%.

During the ceremony the Government handed over rice-milling machines motorized plows to the farmers. The

Ministry plans to hold the festival in all 13 districts.