W JAVA'S SOUTHERN COASTAL REGIONS GOOD FOR RICE FARMING : MINISTER

Garut, Jan 31 (ANTARA) - Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said the southern coastal regions of West Java province have sufficient potentials to be developed into farmland to support the national rice self-sufficiency program.
"Many people in the southern regions of West Java are engaged in agriculture but because their patches are relatively small, they have expanded their farm land by making use of idle areas belonging to state plantation companies with satisfactory results, " the minister told the press during a visit to Apra Sindang Barang beach, Cianjur district, on Saturday.
He said the southern parts of Sukabumi district had good potentials as rice producing areas as even now the average production of existing rice fields was five tons per hectare.
"Actually the regions' rice production can be increased , if we can make use of the available water sources to irrigate the rice fields," he said.
The minister further said the southern areas of Sukabumi district needed wind-powered water pumps to irrigate rice fields.
"A Spanish investor has offered us Rp600 billion but the need is for wind power technology to operate water pumps to irrigate rice fields in Sindangbarang," he said.
Sindangbarang region has two rivers - Cigadung and Ciganda - in which dams or water reservoirs could be built. It also has deep valleys which could function as water sources , the minister said.
The minister's three day visit to the souhern coastal regions of West Java was being made to evaluate the implementation of government programs to assist farmers such as the Rural Agribusiness Development Program and others.