South Kalimantan govt grants Rp3.6 billion fund to Tanah Laut

Head of Food Crop and Horticulture Seeds Supervision and Certification of the South Kalimantan Agriculture and Food Security Office Zainul Arifin (right) symbolicaly hands over a grant fund to Head of Tanah Laut Food Crop, Horticulture and Plantation Office Faried Widiyatmoko as witnessed by Tanah Laut Regent H Rahmat Trianto (left) in Handil Babirik Village, Wednesday (April 9, 2025). (ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo Tala)

Pelaihari, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Provincial Government of South Kalimantan granted Rp3.6 billion fund to the government of Tanah Laut District to support it as a leading for rice production achievements.

Head of Food Crop and Horticulture Seeds Supervision and Certification of the South Kalimantan Agriculture and Food Security Office Zainul Arifin said that Tanah Laut is a role model for various rice production achievements.

"(This is) based on Tanah Laut's achievements proven by achievement data during 2024 officially measured by Statistics Indonesia (BPS)," Zainul Arifin said when confirmed here on Thursday.

Previously, the Agriculture Ministry distributed assistance in the form of agricultural machinery and tools (alsintan) rotavator for 83 food brigades throughout Tanah Laut District, South Kalimantan, to work on swamp land optimization.

Related news: President asks South Kalimantan to increase unhulled rice production threefold
Related news: Agriculture Ministry assists Tanah Laut's 83 food brigades with alsintan

A number of its achievements that caused the provincial government to provide a suport through the 2025 budget (APBD), including its 72 percent area of agriculture and plantation.

Rice production increased by 102.90 percent from previously 52,839 tons dry milled rice grain (GKG) to 107,211 tons.

"There was a positive increase in production of 54,372 tons," Zainul pointed out.

Meanwhile, its productivity increased significantly from 3.51 tons to 4.27 tons per hectare.

Other considerations, he expounded, was planting index reached IP 200. This means the area of rice field (LBS) of 27,115 hectares can be optimized for two planting a year.

"(Then) an increase in rice surplus of 27,628 tons. It was because its rice production available at 63,435 tons, while the population is 365,000 people with a consumption of 35,807 tons," Zainul said.

Based on these four points, Tanah Laut District, with a nickname Bumi Tuntung Pandang, is in the five districts with the highest rice production contribution in South Kalimantan.