Rice Turning Yellow, Water Disappearing: Pati Farmers Face Threat of Crop Failure

PATI, KOMPAS.com - A prolonged drought has begun to haunt farmers in Jambean Kidul Village, Margorejo District, Pati Regency, Central Java.

The rice crops, which have entered the grain-filling phase, face the threat of crop failure as water supply to irrigate the fields becomes increasingly scarce.

This situation has worsened after the Juwana River, which has long been one of the main irrigation sources, began drying up.

Over the past month, the river’s water level has continued to decline, no longer sufficient to meet the irrigation needs of agricultural lands.

Kamelan, chairman of the Pati Farmers Union, explained that the rice crops are currently about 70 days old on average.

At this stage, the rice plants enter the phase of grain formation and filling.

“At 70 days, the grains start to form. This is the time they should fill up to become mature rice. But with this dryness, the grains cannot fill, resulting in empty and shriveled grains,” he said.

Threat of Crop Failure

KOMPAS.com/ Kafi The Juwana River, also known as the Silugonggo River, seen drying up in Banjarsari Village, Gabus District, Pati Regency on Friday (21/8/2026).

“Before, prices ranged from Rp 7,500 to Rp 8,000 per kilogram, now they can be between Rp 8,000 and Rp 8,500 or even higher. But with crops in this condition, and the additional high costs caused by the drought,” he added.

Despite the difficulty in sourcing water from the Juwana River, farmers still have hope for irrigation from the Logung Reservoir network.

However, the irrigation lines leading to Margorejo District have suffered damage, preventing water from reaching the farmers’ fields.

Kamelan mentioned that the Logung Reservoir irrigation network had previously functioned and helped irrigate farmland in the area.

“But it only worked for two years after the reservoir was opened. After that, the irrigation channels got damaged,” he revealed.

Various damages have been found along the irrigation route, including collapsed sections near bridges and leakages in channels crossing over rivers.

“So the water doesn’t reach here at all,” he added.