Central Java's Rice Production Reaches 6.69 Million Tonnes, Governor Says

Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi announced the province’s rice production has reached 6.69 million tonnes during a harvest celebration with farmers in Gentan Village, Bendosari District, Sukoharjo Regency. During the event, Luthfi operated a combine harvester, inspected post-harvest land management, and engaged in dialogue with farmers and agricultural stakeholders. He described the harvest as an expression of gratitude for the region’s agricultural output. However, he urged all parties to begin preparing anticipatory measures for the upcoming dry season. “The challenge ahead is the changing seasons. The dry season is expected to be prolonged. Therefore, all regents and mayors must map areas vulnerable to drought so that food self-sufficiency targets can be met,” Luthfi said in a written statement on Wednesday, 24 June 2026. Various anticipatory steps will be taken, including piping, well construction, utilisation of raw water sources, and distribution of water pumps as needed in the field. During discussions with farmers, several aspirations were raised, including water needs for the third planting season, electricity networks for agricultural wells, combine harvesters, soil processing equipment, and improvements to farm roads and irrigation channels. Responding to these, Luthfi assured that the Central Java Provincial Government will optimise support for agricultural facilities and infrastructure. For harvesting equipment, the provincial government will schedule the use of its combine harvesters on a rotating basis while also proposing additional agricultural machinery assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture. Central Java has also received approximately 17,000 water pumps, which will be distributed according to regional needs to assist irrigation during the dry season. “The important thing is that water reaches the fields and farmers’ needs are met,” he said. Meanwhile, Rizhali Triutomi Sahan, Head of the River Implementation Control Team for the Bengawan Solo River Basin Agency, confirmed that irrigation water supply for the Bendosari area and its surroundings will remain sufficient until October 2026. “There are no plans to shut off irrigation flows, so water needs for the third planting season can be maintained,” he stated. Sukoharjo Regent Etik Suryani noted that farmers have played a major role in maintaining food security, including during the COVID-19 pandemic when the agricultural sector continued operating despite widespread activity restrictions. “We continue to support farmers through assistance with agricultural machinery, irrigation development, deep wells, and farm roads. However, we also hope for support from the provincial government so that farmers’ needs can be met optimally,” she concluded.