Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - South Kalimantan Agriculture and Food Security Office (DPKP) is targeting a rice production of 1.27 million tons this year to maintain the province's status as the national food buffer area.
Head of the office Syamsir Rahman here on Thursday said that the target was the result of evaluation of previous year's production achievements.
"In 2024, South Kalimantan's rice production had reached more than one million tons, (now) we target 1.27 million tons with strategy of optimizing land and expanding planting area in 2025," he expounded.
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The DPKP has recorded an increase by 50,000 hectares in the standard area of rice fields based on caculations of the National Land Agency (BPN).
With the asumption of an average production of 5 tons per hectare, the increase area is projected to be able to increase harvest yields by up to 250,000 tons.
South Kalimantan also relies on a land optimization program from the Ministry of Agriculture to increase planting intensity from one to two times a year, even three times in several areas.
"DPKP is also developing people's rice fields planting, currently discussing technical implementation and division of areas, then reporting to the Governor through acting regional secretary," said Syamsir.
Currently, South Kalimantan is the only province in Kalimantan that has a rice surplus, because it able to supply for meeting the need central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan.
"South Kalimantan provincial government is committed to maintain its production stability so that it can continue to support the national food security," said Syamsir.
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