Grandfather Suhantara, 82, has developed a rice field using discarded\ncans and gallons at his home. The field, which he calls \u2018sawah rongsok\u2019\n(scrap rice field), has already been harvested four times.<\/p>\n
Suhan began planting rice in used gallons and cans in 2025. The\nresident of Susukan II, Genjahan, Ponjong, Gunungkidul, started planting\nrice in scrap materials after noticing that accidentally spilled rice\nseeds could grow fertile.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I brought the dry unhusked rice home and it turned out some had\nspilled on the ground. The spilled grains grew into seedlings,\u201d\nSuhantara said when met at his residence in Susukan II, Genjahan,\nPonjong, Gunungkidul, on Tuesday (7\/7\/2026).<\/p>\n
He then tried planting the Inpari-24 rice variety using used cans as\na growing medium. The plants he tended grew fertile. From there, he\nexpanded the size of the containers using used gallons. He began hunting\nfor gallons and filling them with soil, manure, chemical fertiliser, and\nthen the rice seeds.<\/p>\n
He placed his scrap rice field in an area that receives sufficient\nsunlight. After about three months, the rice was ready to harvest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe harvest from one gallon with three rice plants can produce\naround 130 grams of dry unhusked rice. For the hybrid rice variety that\nwas tried, it grows more densely with one seedling able to produce up to\n30 tillers, and that is before harvest age. When harvested, it could\nyield 300-400 grams of dry unhusked rice per gallon,\u201d said the Chairman\nof the Genjahan Makmur Farmers\u2019 Group Association.<\/p>\n
Suhantara admitted that the cost of farming with used gallons is\nrelatively low. He spent around IDR 2,000 for one used gallon. This\nscrap rice field is also water-efficient as it does not need watering\nevery day and uses whatever soil is available.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most you spend is on buying fertiliser, both manure and chemical\nfertiliser. As for water, everyone has water, and you don\u2019t need to\nwater it every day. So this (planting rice in gallons) is very, very\naffordable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He mentioned that planting rice using used gallons and cans\neliminates the need for hoeing and ploughing the land. Furthermore, pest\nmonitoring is also easier.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother advantage is that pests and diseases can be monitored\ndirectly. For example, if there are planthoppers or rats, we can\nimmediately know and take action,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Suhantara also revealed that the used gallons can be reused.\nLikewise, the growing medium can be used twice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no need for hoeing. Then, when it is dry (post-harvest),\nyou just turn over the growing medium, add fertiliser, and it can be\nplanted again. Besides that, the gallons are also durable, not\nsingle-use,\u201d he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mbah-suhans-scrap-rice-field-in-gunungkidul-low-cost-and-hassle-free-1783497253", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }