Klaten – Farming land in Klaten, Central Java, is decreasing by 43 hectares on average per year as a result of increased property development, such as residential and commercial areas in the regency.

Klaten Regional Development Planning Office economic planning head Wahyu Haryadi said the decreasing amount of farmland was unavoidable as the regency worked to boost the investment climate.

He said he was confident that the decreasing farmland would not affect rice production in the regency, particularly with the use of a rice intensification system, which can reportedly produce 10 tons of rice per hectare. "There will be no decrease in rice production," Wahyu said on Friday.

Local agriculture office data shows farmland in Klaten totals around 33,100 hectares including nearly 32,450 hectares of conserved farmland, meaning the area will be maintained for agricultural purposes.

Meanwhile, around 1,000 hectares of agricultural land can be converted for commercial purposes such as property or industry.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/10/22/island-focus-farmland-decreasing-43-ha-year.html