Bojonegoro needs irrigation pumps

Bojonegoro needs irrigation pumps

BOJONEGORO, East Java: The Bojonegoro regency needs at least 30 more water pumps to irrigate around 5,000 hectares of paddy fields along the Bengawan Solo River.

"The additional pumps will be used to reduce the local farmers' dependence on the existing pumps, which the farmers have to hire," manager of the Bengawan Solo River development project, Gindo Hasibuan, said yesterday.

He said that since 1992 the regency had received 33 water pumps worth Rp 12 billion as aid from the Japanese government for farmers in 33 villages.

"The farmers' produce has almost tripled since they began using the pumps," he said, as quoted by Antara. (rms)