INDONESIAN farmers are still learning to accept the impact of El Niño as they struggle to keep up with the expected rice harvests affected by planting delays and lack of rain.
Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia and among the top five largest producers of rice in the world.
The country’s initial forecast to harvest 32 million tonnes of rice for 2024 was lowered due to planting delays.
The head of Indonesia’s National Outstanding Farmer and Fisherman Association or KTNA said that about 35 percent of the country’s 7.46 million hectares of rice-growing areas depend on rain for irrigation.
Planting season in Indonesia normally starts during the wet season in October and harvest time takes place between February to April.
However, the impact of El Niño affected the schedule and the estimated annual output.
In December, the Indonesian government ordered the military to help farmers in planting rice after the severe drought caused the planting season to suffer delays.
