JAKARTA Because irrigation canals dry up during the dry season, farmers in Sindangsari Village, Karawang Regency, West Java spend greater production costs on water pump rental needs.

"We have difficulty water to irrigate rice fields, because the water in the irrigation canal is dry," said Ujang, a farmer as reported by Antara, Saturday, July 22.

He said that drying irrigation canals occurred due to damaged conditions, experiencing severe silting. Plus now the condition is the dry season.

Ujang and other farmers were forced to spend more than usual production costs, because there was additional capital, namely to rent a water pump and fuel.

"Usually, with a capital of Rp. 10 million, we can plant for 1 hectare. The costs are clean to harvest, including for purchasing drugs," he said.

However, due to the condition of the irrigation canal to dry up, farmers in Sindangsari Village had to spend more capital, at least they had to spend Rp15 million for the need to plant per 1 hectare.

"We have to add at least Rp5 million to rent a water pump machine and buy fuel oil. Because the water suction was carried out five to six times during the planting process until harvest," he said.

In Sindangsari Village, Karawang there are about 200 hectares of rice fields that are currently drought.

He said that every year, farmers in their village have difficulty water to irrigate their rice fields. This condition occurs because of the damage to irrigation canals.

Sartawi, a farmer in Sindangsari Village, said the depth of mud in the irrigation canal was quite severe, up to an adult's thigh level. The mud must be lifted so that the distribution of water can flow normally.

According to him, the silting of irrigation channels in his village has occurred for decades. Farmers admit that the harvest yield produces a small profit due to high production costs due to using a water suction pump.

"We have submitted complaints about the silting of irrigation to various parties. But there has never been a realization of dredging or normalization," he also said.


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