ID :
10744
Tue, 06/24/2008 - 14:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/10744
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MINISTER EXPECTS MILD DRY SEASON, NO RICE PRODUCTION SETBACKS
Jakarta, June 24 (ANTARA) - Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono said he expected the dry season this year to be not too severe so there was hope the country's rice production target would not be disturbed.
"I have made an observation tour of several regions in the country where I found wet droughts which have even boosted the expansion of paddy field plantations," the minister said after the transfer of post of the chief economic minister here on Tuesday.
He said he had visited West Java, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra provinces and noticed paddy plants in these regions were growing well.
"I visited only several regions but I witnessed green areas everywhere, paddy plants are growing more profusely . So, rice production could reach a higher figure than the target," the minister said.
Yet, he reminded farmers to pay attention to the availability of water supply when planting rice regardless of the wet droughts.
"Don't force yourselves to plant rice if water supply is limited. Alternative crops such as maize and soybean whose prices are good in the market are also available," Apriantono said.
He admitted that there were still fertilizer scarcity problems in various regions which could disturb rice production.
"There is a serious fertilizer scarcity problem in North Sumatra. Scarcity in other regions is not a serious as that in North Sumatra," he added.
"I have made an observation tour of several regions in the country where I found wet droughts which have even boosted the expansion of paddy field plantations," the minister said after the transfer of post of the chief economic minister here on Tuesday.
He said he had visited West Java, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra provinces and noticed paddy plants in these regions were growing well.
"I visited only several regions but I witnessed green areas everywhere, paddy plants are growing more profusely . So, rice production could reach a higher figure than the target," the minister said.
Yet, he reminded farmers to pay attention to the availability of water supply when planting rice regardless of the wet droughts.
"Don't force yourselves to plant rice if water supply is limited. Alternative crops such as maize and soybean whose prices are good in the market are also available," Apriantono said.
He admitted that there were still fertilizer scarcity problems in various regions which could disturb rice production.
"There is a serious fertilizer scarcity problem in North Sumatra. Scarcity in other regions is not a serious as that in North Sumatra," he added.
