In Indonesia's East Java region, melon growers report difficulties due to unpredictable weather and intensified virus threats, impacting yield outcomes. Farmers from Nganjuk, Madiun, and Kediri highlight reductions in fruit quality. Typically, optimally growing melon plants now show disruptions during growth phases, resulting in smaller fruit with rough skin and diminished color quality.
Some melons also exhibit cracking and misshapen forms, leading to non-compliance with market standards. Arif Nur Azis, a melon farmer from Purwotengah Village, Kediri, noted, "Usually we can harvest melon with good quality, but now there are many that don't qualify to be sold. The fruit is small, hard, and some are broken before being cooked." According to Arif, a key factor in the quality decline is the proliferation of plant viruses, exacerbated by higher humidity.
Farmer Edi echoed concerns about seed resilience: "We need seeds that are more resistant to the virus. If the conditions are like this, we will continue to lose a lot. The planting capital alone is already high." The predicament also impacts distribution, as noted by Mujet of the Saclar Buah Group Kediri, who said, "If it's like this, we also have difficulties in the market."
The East Java Agriculture Service has conducted monitoring and plans to enhance farmer education on plant health management, pest control, and selecting climate-resilient varieties. Collaboration among farmers, the government, and private entities is necessary for sustaining melon production in the face of these challenges.
Source: VOI
