Breadfruit (malangkota.go.id) – The Sri Murni Farmers Group (Poktan) in collaboration with the Malang City Food Security and Agriculture Service (Dispangtan) and the East Java Province Food Crop and Horticulture Protection UPT held a Simultaneous Rat Pest Control Movement (Gerdal) on Jl. Satsui Tubun IV, Kebonsari Village, Sukun District, Malang City, Wednesday (21/2/2024).
Field Extension Officer (PPL) of Kebonsari Village, Nurul Komariah revealed that the activity of controlling plant pests (Gerdal OPT) is one of the efforts to help farmers anticipate rat pests. "The activity must be carried out simultaneously because the rat reproduction cycle is so fast. If the control is not carried out simultaneously, it will be difficult to overcome it optimally," said Nurul.
He explained that this movement was carried out with the aim of increasing rice production according to the government's target and supporting the achievement of food self-sufficiency and maintaining rice production. "So don't let farmers fail to harvest because of rat pest attacks," explained Nurul.
Nurul said there are many ways that farmers can do to overcome rat pests, but this time it is more focused on gerdal. "Gerdal rat pests are deliberately carried out when the rice has not yet flowered because it will be more effective than when the rice has started to flower," he added.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Sari Murni Farmer Group, Sonhaji, said that this activity was part of the farmers' efforts to increase rice production, namely how to control rat pest attacks as effectively as possible together.
"Right now the price of paddy is good, of course we will be happy if the harvest is abundant. This is part of our efforts to get a good harvest in this planting season," explained Sonhaji.
He said that currently Poktan Sari Murni currently has a total of rice fields of around 22 hectares with 30 members. The members of this farmer group consist of land owners and also cultivators. (cah/yon)
