Paddy plantation completed in Maitoda

By Our Correspondent Maitoda (Baitadi) June 6: Paddy plantation has been completed at Maitoda in Patan Municipality-6 of Baitadi district. Farmers of Maitoda have completed paddy plantation by planting the local red masino variety of paddy one week in advance of the end of Jestha.

Local farmer Keshab Khatri said that they did not have to wait for planting as there was a good irrigation system. "There is access to an irrigation facility in the field round the year. We have a hand-tractor for digging fields. So, there is no need to wait until Asar for paddy plantation,” said Khatri.

The use of hand-tractors has increased recently after their arrival in farmers' fields. Farmers of Maitoda have said that the hand tractor has saved time and manpower.

According to him, farmers of Patan Municipality-6 have been cultivating Khumal-4, Janaki, Radha, Sukha-3 and Sukha-4 varieties of paddy along with local red masino paddy.

Hira Khatri, a local, said, "There is no hassle of raising oxen after the hand-tractor entered the village. 

It has become easier to transplant after the introduction of technology.”

He said that farmers have no need to raise oxen for cultivation. Although there is irrigation facility in 10,000 hectares of land in Baitadi, only 7,000 hectares of land has irrigation facilities for paddy cultivation, according to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Baitadi.

Patan area of the district is considered good for paddy production. After Patan, Gokuleshwor, Sera, Dhungadh, Haat, Surnaya, Radilobhadar of Melauli Municipality and Binayak area of Pancheshwar are considered as the main areas for paddy production.