Long dry season becomes a blessing for farmers in HSU

Amuntai, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Farmers in North Hulu Sungai (HSU), South Kalimantan, said the long dry season as a blessing, as they were able to plant and harvest twice a year in their swampy land in 2023.

“We are very grateful usually once a year, but this year we have had two harvests. Shallow land that used to be puddled now it becomes dry and fertile,” said Awi, a farmer working on swamp farming in Sungai Durait Hulu village, Babirik sub-district, HSU, Friday.

In swamp land, Awi said, farmers in the village planting Mekongga variety of rice which is very suitable for swamp land.

Meanwhile, farmers in Hambuku Pasar Village, Sungai Pandan Sub-district, did not only plant rice, they also planted eggplants and pumpkins and have already harvested even with satisfactory yields.

One of the agriculture instructor at the HSU Agriculture Office Ikak said that the phenomenon of harvesting twice a year only occurs in a long dry season and the last time was in 2015.

“So this long dry season is a blessing for HSU, which is dominated by swamp agricultural land,” he said.

Head of HSU Agriculture Office Masrai said that swamp land, which makes up 89 percent of agricultural land in HSU, contributes greatly to supporting rice production in South Kalimantan, because of the nature of the land can produce during rainy and dry season.

Masrai invites all parties, including private and the general public, to unite and collaborate to advance the agricultural sector in HSU.

“Even when types of land such as irrigation and rain-fed cannot produce optimally due to lack of water in the dry season, lowland swamp land has proven to be a buffer for rice production,” said Masrai.