Minister Sends Pumps to Flooded Rice Fields in Bekasi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Floods submerged rice fields in Sukabakti Village, Tambelang District, Bekasi Regency. Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo visited the locations and asked for an immediate recovery in the rice fields affected by the floods, instructing his staff to send pumps to a number of inundation points.

"The first thing to do is for the ministry to bring in more drainage pumps to reduce inundation discharge. Therefore, we must carry out recovery and acceleration quickly," Syahrul said in a written statement on Wednesday, March 1.

He also asked for all rice plantations to be given intensive care as soon as possible. One way is by monitoring and balanced fertilization. If the cropping conditions cannot be saved, he said, farmers must immediately replant.

Syahrul said his ministry will prepare equipment and agricultural machinery. He said that all improvement efforts must be carried out, as Bekasi is a food buffer zone for residents of cities like Jakarta and other big cities in West Java.

"Bekasi is a fertile area that has great potential to strengthen the national food security. I certainly hope this flood will pass soon, and Bekasi will recover soon," he said.

Meanwhile, Bekasi Regency's Regional Secretary Dedy Supriyadi said that, since five days ago, the floods have been inundating the rice fields by an average height of 30 to 40 centimeters.

RIANI SANUSI PUTRI

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