RI rice output set to increase 2%<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian unhusked rice production this year is
\nexpected to rise 2 percent over last year's 50 million tons
\ndespite forecasts of a drought worse than the one in late 1994
\nwhich ended Indonesia's self-sufficiency in rice, a minister
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah said yesterday
\nthat this year's rice production could exceed last year's, \"given
\nthe correct steps are taken\".<\/p>\n
\"According to a meeting of Extension Service Supervision
\nAgency officials, this year's dry season may be drier and
\nlonger ... which is why quick steps should be taken,\" he said, as
\nquoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, a significant rice producer, had to import rice in
\nlate 1994 after adverse weather affected domestic harvests. The
\ncountry first reached self-sufficiency in rice in 1984.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin said drought action preparations were discussed in
\nthe meeting Thursday.<\/p>\n
Rice-growing provinces in Indonesia harvest between one and
\nthree times a year, depending on the type of rice, the climate
\nand the irrigation system.<\/p>\n
Most provinces will begin rice-planting around October, at the
\nstart of the rainy season, and begin harvesting around February.
\nThe dry season usually begins around April.<\/p>\n
Well-irrigated provinces may plant a second rice crop in July.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin said rice production this year was estimated to be
\nabout the same as last year. Any decline would not be more than
\n\"an insignificant\" 0.9 percent, he said.<\/p>\n
He said harvests from the 1996\/1997 planting period, which was
\naround February to April, went \"very well\" because there were no
\ncases of plant disease or pest damage.<\/p>\n
He said harvest areas and productivity per hectare had
\nincreased.<\/p>\n
\"What has been harvested (in the 1996\/1997 planting year)
\nalready makes 65 percent of this year's rice production,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said that if the correct steps were taken, the upcoming
\nplanting period might result in an overall higher production for
\nthis year compared to last year.<\/p>\n
Rice production last year stood at about 50 million tons of
\nunhusked rice, equivalent to 32.5 million tons of milled rice.<\/p>\n
\"If this can be carried out well, I am sure our 2.1 percent
\nrice production growth target for the (current) Sixth Five-Year
\nDevelopment plan, can be achieved,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin said most of the vital irrigation dams across the
\ncountry still had enough water.<\/p>\n
\"What we must do next is find a way to use this water
\nefficiently to produce as much rice as possible,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said there would be intensive rice-planting programs in
\nproductive areas such as along the north coast of Java.<\/p>\n
Indonesia in 1995 produced 49 million tons of unhusked rice,
\nup from 46.4 million tons in 1994 and 48.14 million tons in 1993.
\n(pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-rice-output-set-to-increase-2-1447893297",
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