Sarolangun District targets 350 hectares of new paddy field creation

Sarolangun District - The Department of Food Crops, Horticulture and Plantations (TPHP) of Sarolangun District, Jambi has set a target of 350 hectares of new paddy field creation in 2026 to increase planting area and production in the region.

“This year (2026), the local government is targeting an additional 350 hectares of new land, with the hope that rice production in Sarolangun can increase,” said Head of the TPHP Department of Sarolangun District Dulmuin in Sarolangun on Saturday.

According to him, in addition to the paddy field creation programme, the local government will again propose agricultural equipment and machinery (alsintan) to the Ministry of Agriculture this year to support agricultural productivity in Sarolangun.

Given that support for agricultural equipment is much needed by farmers when starting planting and handling harvests, this will help optimise the potential of existing agricultural land.

He continued that currently the agricultural land area in Sarolangun District is recorded at around 8,997 hectares, comprising 3,997 hectares of existing paddy fields, 2,000 hectares of non-flooded land (dry land), and 3,000 hectares of paddy fields with irrigation channels.

The strengthening of the agricultural sector, said Dulmuin, is one of the priorities of regional development as outlined in the vision of Advanced Sarolangun District 2025–2030.

Modern agriculture is expected to become the driving force for accelerating inclusive and sustainable economic development in Sarolangun District.

“Last year, the paddy field creation programme achieved 433 hectares spread across twelve villages in five subdistricts. This is part of the national strategic programme to realise food self-sufficiency, particularly in the paddy field rice farming sector,” he said.