Rodent pest has truly become scourge for dozens farmers in Rorotan Urban Village, Cilincing, North Jakarta. Moreover, as many as 8 percent of 113 hectares rice fields were forced to crop failure due to attacked by rats.

The farmers with the officers held the rats’ extermination at paddy fields and bloat rat hole using sulfur in some locations

To eradicate the rodent pest,  dozens farmers assisted by North Jakarta Marine, Agriculture and Food Security (KPKP) Sub Department officers successfully eradicated dozens of rats in joint eradication activity (gerobyokan) on Tuesday (3/24).

"The farmers with the officers held the rats’ extermination at paddy fields and bloat rat hole using sulfur in some locations," told Barkah Shadaya, Rorotan Urban Village Head.

North Jakarta Marine, Agriculture and Food Security Sub Department Head, Una Rusmana revealed, the gerobyokan was already performed twice and this activity is considered effective to eradicate the rat in paddy fields.

"We exterminated a total of 250 rats last week, and because the numbers are declining, we only exterminated 70 rats for this week," said Rusmana.

Una hoped this effort can reduce the crop failure potential under 20 percent of the area that will be harvested.

"Based on our data, the rat has damaged around 8 percent. That's why we press the damage to not exceed of 20 percent," said Rusmana.