Red onion crop lost to flood

YOGYAKARTA: A crop of red onions planted on 150 hectares of land in Bantul was lost in the flooding that hit the area last week. The crop was being grown in the districts of Sanden and Kretek in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta.

As a result of the crop failure, local farmers stand to lose Rp 1.8 billion (US$225,000).

Edy Suharyanto, an official with the Bantul agricultural office, said the red onions were destroyed after being under the floodwaters for four hours.

Bantul Regent Idham Samawi said his government would help supply the farmers with peanut seeds, to allow them get back to work.

"We will allocate one kilogram of peanut seeds for each hectare of land," he said. -- JP