TEMPO.CO, Bekasi - Approximately 9,832 hectares of rice fields in Bekasi, West Java, are under the threat of crop failure caused by floods that hit the region. "The fields that have been affected by floods would certainly fail," said Agricultural, Gardening, Forestry Agency Chief, Farid Setiawan, yesterday.

He said the number of fields that had been flooded was 237 hectares of seed-beds or plants that were still 25 days old, and 9,595 hectares of fields that had been planted, or crops or plants that were already 60 days old.

"Crop failure can be ascertained after the floods, and when the rainfall stops," he said.

In order to prevent crop failure, Farid said his agency had thrown out the water that was flooding the fields, and they had opened dams in a number of fields. As long as the floods continue, the fields in Bekasi would continue to look like lakes.

He added that the floods this time were worse than its previous year. He had recorded the floods that hit early this year affected 5,000 hectares of fields. That is why he continues to coordinate with the Plant Pests Observer (PO PT) in every sub-district. "The worst area is in the north, because it lies in a lowland area," he added.

ADI WARSONO