REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PASURUAN -- The Agriculture Ministry has delivered three thousand hand tractors to targeted groups of farmers in East Java Province as part of the government's efforts to increase the country's rice production.

Of the three thousand hand tractors, 47 units were handed over by Director General for Agricultural Infrastructure of the Agriculture Ministry Sumardjo Gatot Irianto to several groups of local farmers in Siyar Village, Pasuruan District, on Tuesday.

"By giving these 47 hand tractors in Pasuruan District, we have completed the handover of three thousand hand tractors to all targeted groups of farmers in East Java," he stated.

Besides distributing 47 hand tractors, the ministry also provided the farmer groups in Pasuruan District with other agricultural equipment, which comprised 10 units of multifunction threshers, 15 units of corn shellers, 10 units of combine harvesters, and 10 units of water pumps, he remarked.

With the government's support, a 10 percent boost in rice production is expected in the district, or an increase from 5.9 tons to seven tons, he remarked.

The Agriculture Ministry has so far distributed thirty thousand hand tractors to groups of farmers across Indonesia while its total target is sixty thousand units, he noted.

Meanwhile, Head of Pasuruan District Government's Agricultural Affairs Ihwan believes that the ministry's support will enable the local farmers to increase their rice production to more than 5.9 tons.

"The rice production in 2014 reached 661 thousand tons, which was harvested from 68 thousand hectares of paddy fields, the biggest rice production center in East Java after Malang District," he said.

Ihwan noted that the target of at least 6.9 tons of rice production has been set for Pasuruan District this year.

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