94% plantation completes nationwide

By Laxman Kafle, Kathmandu, Aug. 16: Paddy plantation of this year has almost completed, as plantation has been done in 94.2 per cent of the total paddy field as of Sunday.

According to the Department of Agriculture (DoA), paddy plantation has completed in around 1.417 million hectares of land out of the total 1.504 million hectares of paddy field.

Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. Rewati Raman Poudel said that paddy has been planted in 94.2 per cent cultivable land of the country, and it is less by 3.69 per cent than the previous year. He said paddy plantation has reached the final stage across the country and it would complete within a week.

“We estimate that the paddy plantation will increase by 1 to 2 per cent and reach around 96 per cent this year,” Poudel told The Rising Nepal.

Plantation area up

The area of paddy plantation has increased this year compared to previous fiscal years. Earlier, the paddy used to be planted in around 1.37 million hectares of land across the country. This year, paddy cultivation area has increased to 1.504 million hectares.

"Based on the data received from the provinces, it is estimated that rice will be planted in 1.504 million hectares this year, while it was planted in 1.371 million hectares last year," he added.

Even though the plantation declined in terms of percentage, the paddy plantation area has increased this year, he said.

Paddy was planted in 97.89 per cent (1.342 million hectares) out of the total paddy cultivating land of 1.371 million hectares in the last fiscal year. But this year, paddy is planted in around 1.417 million hectares of land.

"The area of paddy cultivation has increased in all provinces as the three levels of governments, including federal, provincial and local, are encouraging farmers not to keep their land barren. Local levels are offering incentives to farm the barren land," he said.

He said, "Federal, provincial and local governments have been encouraging farmers not to leave the land barren, so the plantation area may have increased in all provinces."

By now, paddy plantation has completed in the largest area of paddy field in Sudurpashchim Province followed by Karnali and Bagmati Province. 

In Sudurpashchim province, paddy plantation has completed in 99.2 per cent (176,733 hectares) of paddy field while it has completed in 98.5 per cent (38,316 hectares) land in Karnali and 97.3 per cent (117,269 hectares) in Bagmati as of Sunday.

Paddy is grown in around 178,167 hectares in the Sudurpashchim Province, 38,886 hectares in Karnali and 120,569 hectares in the Bagmati Province.

Paddy plantation has completed 97.2 per cent (97,506 hectares) in Gandaki, 93.5 per cent (318,827 hectares) in Province 1 and 93.3 per cent (378,356 in Madhes Province till date. Paddy cultivating areas increased to 100,310 hectares in Gandaki, 340,829 hectares in Province 1 and 405,450 hectares in Madhes Province.

Meanwhile, the lowest paddy plantation has been done in Lumbini Province where plantation has completed only in 90.6 per cent (290,123 hectares) of the total cultivation area of 320,275 hectares.

Paddy was planted in 267,149 hectares in Province 1, 353,902 hectares in Madhes Province, 113,082 hectares in Bagmati, 106,810 hectares in Gandaki, 300,392 hectares in Lumbini, 38,385 hectares in Karnali and 163097 hectares in Sudurpashchim Province last year.

Poudel said that due to lack of irrigation facilities and timely availability of fertilisers paddy plantation was delayed.

He said that paddy production would not decrease this year as the supply of chemical fertilisers has improved and plantation area increased.

But the paddy production would depend on monsoon condition, he said.