Suherdjoko, thejakartapost.com 29 Jul 15;
Thousands hectares of rice and corn in Central Java have experienced crop failure following the long dry season, an official said on Wednesday.
Central Java Plantation Agency’s agriculture subagency head Nuswantoro said crop failures had hit 6,578 hectares of paddy fields in Grobogan (2,322 ha), Blora (1,589 ha), Pati (717 ha), Demak (584 ha), Pemalang (188 ha) and Brebes (380 ha) among other areas.
“Minor, moderate and severe levels of drought have affected rice fields in 29 out of 35 regencies and cities during this year’s dry season. The drought also hit corn and soybean fields,” Nuswantoro said.
He said that 26,977 ha of rice fields are experiencing a minor level of drought, 7,672 ha are at moderate level and 2,845 ha at severe level.
Fifty-three ha of corn fields also experienced crop failure, while some 215 ha were experiencing a minor level of drought, 25 ha are at moderate level, and 54 ha at severe level.
Meanwhile, some 103 ha of soybean fields were experiencing minor drought and 134 ha at moderate level.
Also on Wednesday, Central Java Disaster Mitigation Agency stated that 17 areas in Rembang, Blora, Gorbogan,Pati, Wonogiri, Sukoharjo, Klaten, Boyolali, Banyumas, Cilacap, Purbalingga, Tegal, Pemalang, Demak, Purworejo, Kebumen, dan Jepara were facing clean water crises.
The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) had that Indonesia would suffer the worst drought in the past five years in 2015.(+++)
