8 Flood Inundated Days, Sawah 3,489 HEctares In Kudus Failed To Harvest And Farmers LOST 50 Billion

Farmer's rice fields were flooded some time ago. (ANTARA)

Eight days since January 15, the Kudus area, Central Java, has been flooded and has resulted in 3,489 hectares of rice fields experiencing crop failure and farmers experiencing Rp 50 billion.

Floods that hit a number of areas in Kudus Regency, Central Java, not only affected residential areas, but thousands of rice fields experienced crop failure.

"Thousands of hectares of puso rice crops were flooded until January 15, 2023, spread over a number of sub-districts. Starting from Jati, Mejobo, Kaliwungu, Jekulo, and Undaan sub-districts," said Head of the Kudus District Agriculture and Food Service, Didik Tri Prasetya, through the Head of Food Crops Arin Nikmah to Antara, Sunday, January 22.

He noted that the rice crop area that was inundated due to flooding in early January 2023 reached 3,756 hectares, but which experienced crop failure was 3,489 hectares. Meanwhile, the potential loss is around Rp. 50.1 billion.

The potential loss, he added, is calculated based on plant life. For plants 1-45 days after planting (HST) the value of loss per hattare is around IDR 7.5 million.

Meanwhile, rice plants are above 45 HST, the potential loss is around Rp. 15 million per hectare.

"The calculation of the potential loss is the average because the age variant of rice plants varies," he said.

Meanwhile, the height of the flood inundation that occurred also varied. When the inundation lasts too long, the rice plant stems are certain to rot alias puso.

The Kudus Agriculture and Food Service has also submitted seed assistance to the Central Government and partly submitted its insurance claims because someone participated in the Padi Farmers Business Insurance (AUTP) program.

Puso rice plants that take part in the AUTP program covering an area of 407 hectares, while those proposed receive seed assistance due to the impact of climate change to the Ministry of Agriculture covering an area of 3,401 hectares.