Blessings For The Acceleration Of Planting, Rice Production Predicted For Surplus Above Indonesia's Consumption Needs

Rice (photo: Doc Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) stated that rice production in 2024 will certainly be in a surplus with a consumption requirement of 30.9 million tons. This is due to the acceleration of planting movements.

The Director General of Food Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi, said that to achieve the food surplus, it was targeted for three months of harvest, because of the policy of the Minister of Agriculture Amran to meet the availability of national rice.

"We are targeting food production closer to three months to be harvested," he said, quoting Antara.

Therefore, they are farmers with a short-term distance of 14 days from harvesting to planting can be done at food production centers, such as East Java, Central Java, West Java, including Banten. In fact, the area is in the category of the largest rice producer ranking in Indonesia. So far, the trend of the year-on-year planting acceleration movement has increased and in May 2024 the planting target can be achieved 1.2 million to 1.4 million and harvest in August. Ministry of Agriculture targets three harvest months and 14 days of planting acceleration and it is proven that the 150 hectare Sukabunah farmer group with an IP 100 that relies on the rainy season, but through pumping it is hoped that it can be three times planting. "We have provided pumpization packages to support the acceleration of planting movement so that farmers who initially Planted Index (IP) once became three times planting, in fact, in Pandeglang there are already farmers who have done IP four times planting," he explained. According to him, farmers can use superior varieties seeds with an age of 80-90 days after planting can be harvested among the seeds of Buana, Pajajaran, Infari 13 and Infari 19 as well. Three months later, he said, they returned to carry out planting movements supported by pumping to meet water availability. "We are proud that these Suka Bunga farmers independently at a pump cost of Rp35 million with a depth of 60 meters can flow to five hectares," he said.

The head of the Sukabungah Farmers Group in Lebak Regency, Ruhiana, said that his party independently installed satellite pumps with a capacity of 4 PK and could flow 150 hectares to overcome drought. So far, he said, 150 hectares of rice fields have entered the category of rain fields because they do not have irrigation network infrastructure. "We believe that the installation of satellite pumps can overcome drought," said Ruhiana.