Lebak Opens 5,000 Hectares Of New Rice Fields

Lebak, Oct 25 (Antara) - The regency of Lebak , Banten, will start planting this year in new 5,000 hectares of rice fields that would contribute to increase in the country`s rice production. "The rice fields in Lebak has been expanded through an aid program of the agriculture ministry for 2013," head of the district agriculture service Dede Supriyatna said in Rangkasbitung on Friday. Dede said the regency of Lebak has always recorded surplus of rice production, adding rice fields in the district produce an average of 5.6 tons of unhulled rice per hectare. The Lebak farmers, therefore, are given the aid program to open 5,000 hectares of new rice fields to support the national program to maintain self sufficiency in the supply of the country`s staple food. The new rice fields have been built in lands owned by the local people where irrigation could be easily provided. The locations cover seven sub-districts including Cirinten, Cilograng, Cileles, Banjarsari, Malingping, Cibeber and Panggarangan. The seven sub-districts are highly potential to be developed as rice production centers with wide open land having sufficient water resources for irrigation. "We are confident the opening of the new rice fields would contribute significantly to the national program of chalking up a surplus of 10 million tons of rice in 2014," Dede said. He said the opening of new rice fields also contribute to creating new jobs in the labor intensive projects. He said the lands appropriated for rice fields may not be used for new residential complex as it is designed to support the national program of food security. "We also hope beside strengthening the national food security, the project would contribute to improving the local people`s welfare," he said. Local farmers also were enthusiastic with the project, saying it would increase the income of the local farmers. "Planting should start this year in the new rice fields, a local farmer Sueb (50) in the sub-district of Cirinten , said. Good irrigation system will also allow rain fed rice fields to be converted with wet rice fields.