Lazy fishermen wasted recent monsoon

Lazy fishermen wasted recent monsoon

JAKARTA (JP): Many fishermen in the Seribu Islands, a group of
islands north of Jakarta Bay, did not use their spare time wisely
during the recent three-month west monsoon during which they
could not go fishing.

"As a result, the produce they collected in nine months has
simply thinned out in just three months," said Maharanto, the
head of the City Agriculture Office.

"Actually, they could have used the time to do some farming or
begin planting seedlings so that their livelihood will not always
depend on fishing. The West monsoon is the best time to prepare
soil for planting because the season is characterized by high
rainfall, which creates a wealthy supply of water for the
seedlings," Maharanto said yesterday.

According to Maharanto who visited the islands this week, the
soil on the islands, such as that of Panggang and Untung Jawa
islands -- both of which are considered underdeveloped -- is good
enough to be used for the raising of crops.

"Breadfruit and coconuts, for instance, grow well on those
islands," he said.

"They could have processed breadfruit into chips or flakes and
extracted coconut oil to meet their own daily needs that they
would not have to go to Jakarta to buy them. Residents of the two
islands could have even sold the products to the other islands
which are popular as tourist destinations," he said.

They still need guidance on how to effectively use their spare
time, he said. (arf)