Farmers in Grabag village, District of Purworejo in Central Java burned their rice plants after getting low yield on their crops. The new type of rice plant, Super Toy H-2 produced by PT Sarana Harapan Indopangan in fact did not produce any seed inside its chaff.
Farmers were furious and disappointed as the new type was deemed to be a superior type of rice by PT Sarana Harapan Indopangan and that the rice was endorsed by President Yudhoyono. In April, President Yudhoyono and seven of his cabinet members attended the first harvest of the new rice type in the village.
The producer boasted the new type could produce rice three times a year even after farmers harvest rice seed from the plants, meaning the rice plant could still continue to grow and produce after farmers cut large part of the plants. The producer also promised compensation should the crops failed.
Chief of the village has asked the District Administration and local police to handle the case which caused losses to farmers in the face of Idul Fitri Holidays.
Heru CN|Akbar Tri Kurniawan|Elik S
