Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei - A Brunei company has contracted a Chinese firm to help boost rice production in the sultanate, which hopes to be 60 per cent self-sufficient in the crop by 2015, media reports said Thursday.

The 8-million-Brunei-dollar (5.8-million-dollar) deal was signed between Brunei's Wen Zhong Agro-Science and Technology Company and China's Guangxi Wangwangda Farmers Company Ltd Wednesday, the Borneo Bulletin reported.

Under the arrangement, Guangxi Wangwangda Farmers Company will provide Brunei farmers with seeds, improved irrigation and drainage systems to help boost rice production on 700 hectares of farmland in the Belait District.

At present Brunei's rice fields yield approximately 1.5 tons of rice per hectare. The Chinese company believes it can boost paddy production fivefold.

In 2008, Brunei's rice production was 8,835 tons from 1,300 hectares and 1,199 farmers, leaving the rich sultanate heavily dependent on imports.

The Brunei government has set a goal of achieving 60 per cent self-sufficiency in rice by the year 2015. (dpa)