Govt To Create 100,000 Ha Of Rice Field

Yogyakarta, Oct 11 (ANTARA) - The government is planning to create 100,000 hectares of rice field to offset a shrinkage of rice field in the country, State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan said. "In the initial phase, we will try to create 1,500 hectares of rice field at the end of this year. The area of rice field will be expanded next year and after," he said at a coordination meeting with representatives of state enterprises and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here on Wednesday. The government had originally planned to create rice field in East Kalimantan. However, a ministerial team who had worked hard did not find a location for new rice field in the province because it had been earmarked for oil palm plantations, he said. "But we did not lose hope. Our team continued to work and found a location for new rice field in West Kalimantan. We thank God that we did not find it in East Kalimantan because it will use expensive technology and need an investment of up to Rp9 trillion," he said. He said the government will apply a non-capitalistic system or an integrated sustainable farming system in creating new rice field. The system will allow farmers to have the rice field although the management of the rice field will be conducted by state enterprises through a modern farming system. "The land is already available. Local farmers are in the process of arranging for their land titles. The land will remain under the name of the farmers. We will assist them in arranging for their land titles," he said.