Rice Harvest Amid the Dry Season: Blora Proves Its Role as Central Java’s Food Basket

BLORA — The dry season has not stopped farming in Blora Regency, Central Java. Blora Regent Dr. H. Arief Rohman attended rice harvests at two sites on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, underlining Blora’s role as one of Central Java’s main food baskets.

The first harvest took place in Gondel Village, Kedungtuban District, where farmers grow organic rice with mentoring from Trubus and Exxon. The second was a mass harvest in Sumber Village, Kradenan District, using Gemburin soil conditioner from PT Chemstar Agro Indonesia. Regional leaders, the Food, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Office (DP4) and local district heads attended.

Bestiw Organic Rice Targets the Premium Market

In Gondel, about 108 farmers belong to an organic farming group working 6.6 hectares. Their organic rice already has its own brand, Bestiw, and the regency government has pledged to help widen its market access.

“If ordinary rice sells for around Rp13,000 per kilogram, we hope this organic rice can sell for at least Rp20,000 per kilogram. That gives it added value and sets it apart from regular rice,” Arief said.

He acknowledged remaining obstacles, especially limited funds and processing equipment such as milling, oven and vacuum machines. Support from agricultural extension workers will therefore be strengthened, along with rice quality testing covering taste, texture and shelf life after cooking.

“We aspire to make Blora an organic regency. Development starts from villages with potential, one of them Gondel.”

Arief Rohman, Regent of Blora

Organic farming in Gondel also involves a women’s group. Over about six months, they learned to grow organic vegetables such as water spinach, spinach, mustard greens and tomatoes, and to make local microorganisms (MOL) from rice. “Before, we didn’t know how to make rice MOL. Through this mentoring we were taught to make it ourselves, and thank God it worked,” said group representative Unsiatun Noor, who hopes the mentoring will continue.

Soil Conditioner Demonstration Plot in Sumber

In Sumber, the regent welcomed the results of the Gemburin demonstration plot and hopes the technology can become an option to raise productivity. “These good demonstration results need follow-up studies and mentoring, so we know the real benefits for production, soil quality and farm cost efficiency,” he said.

He asked DP4, extension workers and the Kradenan district head to follow up and share the results with other farmer groups. With harvests continuing through the dry season, Blora is optimistic it can strengthen not only Central Java’s food security but also contribute as a national food basket.

Summarized from the Blora Regency Government and CNBC Indonesia (in Indonesian).