Farmers busy planting paddy in Banke

By Siraj Khan, Nepalgunj, July 22: Most of the farmers of Banke district are now in a tearing hurry to plant paddy, as rainfall is witnessed in the district after a long wait.

Even the small portion of paddy seedling that was planted earlier was on the verge of drying up because of a lack of rainfall for a long time.  The farmers have been relieved by the rainfall since Wednesday morning when most of the paddy nurseries were at the point of drying.  

Agriculture Knowledge Center Banke said that most of the farmers are now busy in paddy seedling plantations following the rainfall.

Sagar Dhakal, Chief of Agricultural Knowledge Center, Banke, said that farmers are now facing an extreme rush to complete plantations because of the delayed rainfall this year.

Naresh Maurya, a farmer from Duduwa Rural Municipality-4 Banke, said that the paddy planted with difficulty some weeks ago was dying because of a lack of rainfall. Rainfall now has given hopes that the crops this year will turn out well.

Samser Khan, a farmer from Janaki Rural Municipality-3, Banke, said that the farmers were worried about the planted paddy due to the lack of rainfall, but now it had rained, and they have been elated that the planted paddy is saved and busy in their fields to plant paddy in the remaining fields.

Similarly, Moti Lal Pariyar, a farmer from Rapti-Sonari Rural Municipality - 9, Dhakeri, Banke, said that the fear that there will be a problem in rice production due to drought has been defused now.

Even the remaining unplanted fields can be planted nicely, he said, "Some days will be dedicated to planation"

According to Agriculture Knowledge Center Banke, there was only 45 per cent plantation in Banke till Tuesday which now has increased to 58 per cent by Friday. Farmers are engaged fully in paddy plantations.

98 per cent of paddy plantation should have been completed by now but has not because of lack of rainfall.