Drought robs north coast shtimp farmers of harvest

Drought robs north coast shtimp farmers of harvest

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu

The prolonged drought plaguing north coast areas of West Java
is threatening the livelihoods of thousands of shrimp farmers in
the regencies of Indramayu and Cirebon.

Cirebon Agriculture Extension Agency chairman Tuti Anah said
the drought had reduced water volumes in the Ciwaringin and
Kumpulkuista rivers, affecting the water supply of a number of
villages in the Kapetakan district.

"Many farmers have been forced to catch their shrimps early
before harvest time while other breeding farms are completely
dry," she said.

At least 3,900 hectares of shrimp farm around Kapetakan,
Cirebon, Krangkeng and Indramayu are in danger of drying up
completely because of water shortages during the past month.

Moch Dullah, 46, a farmer from Krangkeng, said the farmers had
to take turns obtaining water for their ponds.

Abing, 35, a farmer from Pegagan village, said it was more
expensive to attempt to raise shrimp as the costs of pumping
water from the drying rivers were prohibitive.

The shrimp farmers have also suffered huge losses due to
premature harvesting. Akhmad Jaelani, 44, a fish farmer from
Bungko Kidul village, said he could only sell a kilogram of
shrimp for Rp 35,000, about half the normal price because of the
low quality.

District head Tatang Kartono said the regency administration
was trying to dredge the Ciwaringin and Kumpulkuista rivers in
order to keep the remaining water.

"But dredging the rivers is not a long-term solution.
Therefore we will have to improve irrigation channels to drought-
prone areas," he said.

Sedimentation in the channels made it difficult for the ponds
to get water, he said.