Marabahan, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Farmers from the Sumber Jadi Farmers Group harvested watermelon on five hectares of land in Antar Raya Village, Marabahan Sub-district, Barito Kuala (Batola), Monday.
The first harvest together with Regent Hj Noormiliyani AS, DPRD Speaker Saleh, Commander of 1005 Batola Military Lt. Col. Arm. Arie Priyudono, Police Chief AKBP Lalu Mohammad Syahir Arif SIK, District Attorney Eben Neser Silalahi, produced about 15 tonnes of watermelon.
Head of South Kalimantan Food Crops and Horticulture Agency H Syamsir Rahman, Head of Batola Agriculture, Food Crops and Horticulture Murniati, Marabahan Sub-district Head Eko Purnama Sakti, and the sub-district leadership (Forkopimcam) also took part in the harvest, Monday (5, 2021).
Previously, to reach the harvest site, the entourage had to ride a kelotok (motorized boat) for 30 minutes through rubber plantations. When arrived, they were treated to fresh watermelon.
Regent Noormiliyani, who tasted the watermelon seemed impressed by it, sweetness. "Sweet watermelon. This is no less competitive with other watermelons. Moreover, the fruits are large," she said.
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The Regent said what the Sumber Jadi Farmers Group did could be an example for other farmers in utilizing unused land for a profitable source in income.
She asked farmers to benefit from vacant neglected land to grow crops, such as corn, chilies, and watermelon that have short harvest time. So, in the future, Batola is not only known as a producer of food commodities but horticulture as well.
On the sidelines of the watermelon harvest, Noormiliyani distributed assistance of three hand sprayers, sweet corn seeds, and refugia flower seeds.
Meanwhile, Head of Batola Agriculture, Food Crops and Horticulture Murniati said that watermelon harvest in Batola has continued to increase in recent years. In 2018, Batola produced 131 tons, in 2019 as many as 295.3 tons, in 2020 was 485 tons.
Then in 2021, she said, there is a possibility of an increase.
“Batola has two sub-districts that are watermelon centers, namely Anjir Pasar and Marabahan with the largest watermelon land,” she explained.
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