Batulicin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Farmers in Bumi Asih Village, Kelumpang Selatan, Kotabaru District, South Kalimantan, were happy to welcome the upcoming rice harvest season.
"Alhamdulillah (Thank God) in about ten days the rice we planted will tart to be harvested," said one of the Bumi Asih farmers, Umi Sholichah, in Batulicin, Sunday.
In the midst of issue of high price of rice in severa regions in Indonesia, Bumi Asih residents are now happier because they will soon have rice from their own production.
"In fact, it is a tradition in our family as a form of gratitude to Allah, a small portion of first rice harvest or "new rice" which has been milled is shared to the closest family to share in the joy," she told.
Sholichah belives "new rice" has a better aroma and taste than old rice.
As a joy to welcome the harvest season, farmers look after their rice when it reaches fruiting or 60-65 days after planting. Rice that has flowered is guarded in the morning and afternoon until harvest time to avoid attacks by sparrow pests.
If it is not taken care of by chasing them away, sparrows, which have been pests, will east the newly bloming rice flowers.
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In Bumi Asih Village this week, most of harvests have been started, some have even entered the second planting period since mid-March 20024.
"We are very optimistic, this year's harvest will be abundant. Even we believe that Bumi Asih can become a food barn for Kotabaru District," she said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Bumi Asih Farmers Group, Suli Sarwono said that farmers in the village are capable of producing rice up to 1,300 tons per year from a land area of 90 hectares.
This large area of is being managed by four farmer groups so that rice management and yields are maximized.
Maju Makmur farmers group manages 25 hectares of land, Sido Makmur farmers group 25 hectares, Karya bakti 18 hectares, and Harapan Baru farmers group 22 hectares.
"We are residents of Bumi Asih Village are happy to welcome the rice harvest in this blessed month," said Suli.
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