Panen Area And Rice Production Drops Imbas El Nino

Illustration of drought (Photo: antara)

JAKARTA - The phenomenon of El Nino which causes drought in several regions in Indonesia also has an impact on reducing the harvest area and rice production.

The Central Statistics Agency noted that in September 2023 the rice harvest area decreased by 3698 hectares or decreased by 0.44 percent compared to the same month last year. Plt. Head of BPS Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti said the decline occurred in 13 provinces in Indonesia.

"And the 5 provinces with the highest decline in harvest area in September 2023 are combined with September 2022, South Sulawesi, West Java, Central Java, Banten and East Nusa Tenggara," Amelia said in an online press conference, Monday, October 16.

Furthermore, in September 2023, rice production also decreased by 49,863 tons of milled dry unhulled rice compared to the same month last year.

This decline occurred in 13 provinces where the 5 provinces with the highest production reductions in September 2023 compared to last year were South Sulawesi, West Java, Central Java, Banten and East Nusa Tenggara.

"Then the potential for a rice harvest area from October to December 2023 is estimated to decrease compared to last year in line with the prolonged drought due to El Nino," Amalia continued.

This decline is expected to occur in most production centers and the national potential for rice harvest in October 2023 is expected to fall by 117,894 hectares or decrease by 14.93 percent compared to the same month last year.

Amelia said this decline generally occurred in the provinces of South Sulawesi, Central Java, East Java and Lampung. Then for November, the national rice harvest potential is estimated to decrease by 93,531 ghectares, down 15.43 percent compared to the same month last year.

The decline in November mainly occurred in the provinces of West Java, East Java, South Sulawesi and Central Java.

Amelia said there is a potential for a national rice harvest area in December 2023 to also fall by 11,317 hectares or decrease by 3.12 percent compared to the same month in 2022.

"This decline mainly occurred in the provinces of West Java, Central Java and South Sulawesi," concluded Amalia.