Balangan, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Farmers, who used to tapping rubber, are now trying to diversify by developing melon plants, considering it has a promising market potential.
"It just that in developing melon we only rely on our own experience, trial and error. So, we hope there will be guidance from the Agriculture Agency or related office in the Balangan government," said Jamaludin and Aam, farmers who are trying to develop melon.
Melon farming in fact is not popular business among the local people. They used to live as rice farmers or rubber tappers from generation to generation, considering Balangan is a rubber production center.
"Rubber plantation is what we used to, but rubber prices always fluctuate, its difficult to calculate profit, that is why we try other business by looking at the market potential," said Jamaludin.
Jamaludin and Aam are residents of Panggung Village, South Paringin Sub-district. They are determined to plant melon on their own by cutting down their rubber trees and turning them into the melon gardens.
Related news: Balangan's porang penetrates international market
Related news: Balangan seeks to overcome the increasing waste
