5.168 hectares of rice fields in Bekasi Regency affected by floods

BEKASI - The Bekasi Regency Agriculture Service, West Java, recorded that as much as 5,168 hectares of irrigated areas in the area were affected by flooding, resulting in the threat of crop failure after being submerged in water in the last week.

"The total flooded land is 5,168.9 hectares and 132.8 hectares of which are planting land," said Head of the Bekasi Regency Agriculture Office, Abdillah Majid in Cikarang, Antara, Sunday, November 25.

He said the area of flooded rice fields was spread across a total of 78 villages in 16 sub-districts. Officers are still updating data in the field considering that the flood conditions are still ongoing with the possibility of adding affected areas.

"So we also can't calculate the losses of farmers because the current condition of the plants is still affected by the flood and there is also no report of the plant," he said.

His party has prepared seeds and pesticides for farmers from the Directorate General of Cereals assistance program at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia which is rolled out every year.

The regular assistance of the crop index improvement program (PIP) reaches 11,247 hectares of rice fields with a planned planting period in January-February 2026.

"Meanwhile, assistance for rice fields affected by the flood is currently being submitted to the ministry," he said.

Head of Emergency and Logistics of the Bekasi Regency BPBD Dodi Supriadi said that the water stagnation that lasted for days had the potential to cause damage to crops and threaten the continuity of the farmers' planting season.

"Flooding occurs in agricultural land which is located in low-lying areas and near river flows. If the water does not immediately recede, rice crops that are in the planting phase or before harvest are at risk of experiencing puso," he said.

The spread of affected agricultural areas is in a number of sub-districts, including Pebayuran, Sukakarya, Sukawangi, Cabangbungin, Babelan, Tambun Utara to Karangbahagia.

The height of water in agricultural land varies, ranging from 20 to 60 centimeters, causing crops to be submerged and unable to be processed temporarily.

In addition to damaging crops, flooding also hinders agricultural activities. Access to rice fields is cut off, irrigation canals overflow, and farmers' agricultural production tools and facilities are also submerged.

"This condition makes farmers forced to postpone fertilization, weeding, to harvest. The impact is not only today. If the harvest fails, farmers will have difficulty in capital for the next planting season. This can also affect the availability of rice at the local level," he said.