DROUGHT HITS 2,100 HECTARES OF RICE FIELDS IN GARUT

Jakarta, July 29 (Antara) - The drought has affected 2.1 thousand hectares of rice fields in Garut District, West Java, since last month, an official stated. "The provisional results of our survey reveal that the drought has affected 2.1 thousand hectares of rice fields, Food Crop Production Section Head of the Crop and Horticulture Service of Garut District Endang Juanedi noted here on Tuesday. He remarked that the rice fields, which have been affected by the dry spell, are located in the 40 sub-districts of Garut, particularly in the southern, northern, and urban parts of the district. Garut District is one of the country's rice barns in West Java province. It is now experiencing varying degrees of dryness. "Severe drought has hit 403 hectares, moderate drought has affected 873 hectares, and light drought has impacted 619 hectares," Juanedi noted. He stated that the dry season had also led to harvest failure in 205 hectares of rice fields. It also threatened to hit other areas, with a total acreage of 1,912 hectares. If rains arrive late, the acreage of drought-affected rice fields in Garut will increase, he emphasized. He explained that the affected rice fields were however only small sections of Garut's total area of rice fields spanning 130,744 hectares. "We forecast that the drought in Garut will not significantly affect the local rice production," he affirmed.