Purwakarta rice fields face massive planting delays due to drought

Prolonged drought conditions in Purwakarta have prevented the planting of rice on 10,528 hectares of paddy fields. Out of a total of 16,283 hectares of standard rice field area in the regency, only 5,755 hectares currently have standing crops.

Hadyanto Purnama, Head of the Purwakarta Food and Agriculture Office, stated that the remaining planted areas are generally located in mountainous regions that still have access to spring water and occasional rainfall. In contrast, rain-fed agricultural lands are facing severe water shortages as irrigation channels and reservoirs have shrunk or dried up entirely.

In some areas, such as Situ Cigangsa in Campakasari Village, water levels in reservoirs have dropped so significantly that water can no longer be distributed through irrigation gates. While some farmers are opting to plant drought-resistant secondary crops (palawija), others must wait for rainfall or use water pumps to irrigate their fields, which incurs additional costs.