BATTAMBANG: Prime Minister Hun Sen has reminded the Minister of Agriculture, Dith Tina, to find a way to produce local rice seeds.

Speaking at the distribution of rice seeds and food to more than 10,000 families in Battambang province on Monday morning, 24 October, the Prime Minister stated that the local production of rice seeds would help ensure a steady supply of rice seeds by region in the coming days.

"Starting from the state initiative of pre-purchase education, our people can buy pure seeds or take our rice as well as rice seeds," he said.

At the same time, the Prime Minister also urged the private sector to participate in helping farmers and prepare other ways to help solve this problem.

"The seeds can be obtained by the administration or privately collected," he said.

The use of pure rice seeds will increase rice yields, and also help change mindsets, said the Prime Minister.

"Since I became Prime Minister in 1985, the most important thing [I have said] is to make our small farmers change their attitudes," he said.