Jakarta, March 2 (Antara) - Indonesia, which still imports rice to meet the needs of its 250 million strong population, will this year open up 200 thousand hectares of new rice fields.
The plan to increase the acreage under rice farms in the country by 200 thousand hectares is expected to help the government achieve its target of unhusked rice production of Rp76 million tons.
By increasing the acreage of the country's rice fields by 200 thousand hectares, the rice farms in Indonesia will cover about 9.0 million hectares.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman made this announcement in Sleman, Yoyakarta, on Wednesday.
"The new rice fields will replace the area that is now being used for other functions (such as for industry)," the minister said
As a country where rice is a staple food, Indonesia must always have adequate rice stocks, particularly in the face of two extreme dry and rainy seasons. During the rainy season, thousands of hectares of rice could be damaged while during the drought, thousands of hectares of paddy fields could also fail to produce any harvest.
On an average, the domestic need for rice in Indonesia is predicted to reach about 30 million tons per annum.
Calculations made by the Ministry of Agriculture had found that the per capita consumption of rice in Indonesia is 124 kilograms per annum. So the government based its rice production target on the basis of a per capita consumption of 124 kilograms.
With a population of 250 million, the domestic need of the people for rice reaches some 31 million tons.
However, following a joint assessment conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) and the Ministry of Trade some time ago, it was found that Indonesia's per capita consumption of rice is only 114 kilograms per annum.
So, based on this figure of 114 kilograms, the domestic need is pegged at only about 28.5 million tons.
Thus, if the target of 76 million tons of unhusked rice production is achieved this year, Indonesia will be able to become self-sufficient in rice production.
Earlier last year, the government set a production target of 75 million tons of dry unhusked rice, equal to 43.940 million tons of rice. However, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) later revised the rice production target downwards to 74.99 million tons due to the El Nino-induced drought.
Despite this revised figure, data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that Indonesia's rice consumption in 2015 reached only 33.36 million tons.
Minister Amran said that the national rice production has actually been at a good level, and even increasing. Yet, new rice fields should be opened.
The BPS provisional production figures (ASEM) for 2015 showed that production increased by 6.37 percent from 70.85 million tons of unhulled rice in 2014 to 75.36 million tons in 2015.
Rice field productivity also increased by 3.97 percent from the previous 51.35 quintals (5,135 kilograms) per hectare to 53.39 quintals per hectare. During the January-April 2015 period, paddy production was recorded at 33.06 million tons, up 4.73 percent from the same period in 2014 when it stood at 31.78 million tons.
In the May-August 2015, rice production also increased to 25.78 million tons from 22.76 million tons in the same period in 2014, while during the September-December 2015 period, the increase was only recorded at 0.01 percent, from 16.527 million tons to 16.525 million tons.
Minister Amran also disclosed the government's plan to open new rice fields when he attended a simultaneous rice grand harvest in Mernek Village, Cilacap, Central Java on Monday.
The Simultaneous grand harvests were conducted in seven Indonesian provinces of Central Java, East Java, North Sumatra, and South Sumatra, in addition to South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and South Sulawesi.
Accompanying the minister was the Army Chief Gen. Mulyono, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, Cilacap District Head Tatto Suwarto Pamuji and other officials.
Army Chief Mulyono said the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) has always been involved and assisted farmers to developing the nation¿s food resilience. Since 2015, the TNI has been involved in the opening of new farm lands.
In the meantime, Andi Muhammad Syakir, the head of the research and development center of the Ministry of Agriculture, said in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Monday that Indonesia is entering a rice harvest season which is expected to yield 14.52 million tons of hulled rice.
He was in Makassar, South Sulawesi in connection with the simultaneous rice grand harvest events. "The grand harvest season is forecast to take place in the March - April 2016 period," Andi Muhammad Syakir.
In South Sulawesi, the function was centered in Sappae Village, Wajo District. The seven province where the simultaneous grand harvests were conducted on Monday are Central Java, East Java, North Sumatra, and South Sumatra, in addition to South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and South Sulawesi.
"Rice production at the end of February this year is predicted at 5.0 million tons," Syakir said.
Regarding Monday's simultaneous rice grand harvests, Syakir said the events are expected to serve as a reminder to the people before Indonesia enters the grand harvest periods of March and April this year. "These harvest events are themed with 'simultaneous harvest, stock adequate,'" he said.***3*** (A014/INE)EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 02-03-2016 23:48: |
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