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AKARTA: To help rice farmers cope with a continuation of last year’s inclement weather, the government will build 5,200 water reservoirs, restore failing irrigation systems and introduce more resistant rice strains this year.

“We will also protect farmers from potential financial losses caused by wet unhulled paddy separated from the stalks due to above normal rainfall,” he said.

“This year, we are going to distribute 1,000 rye drier machines nation-wide, especially in rice producing areas, so we will still have quality rice,” he added.

The government is targeting to produce 39 million tons of rice in 2011, a 5 percent increase from last year.

Suswono said that ongoing land conversion would also hamper the government’s efforts to meet the growing demand for rice.

“Land conversion is a real threat to our agriculture. At least 100,000 hectares of farm land in Indonesia are converted to non-farm land every year, including settlements, apartments, shopping centers, and office buildings,” he said. — JP