Jhapa farmers plant paddy as an experiment

By Our Correspondent, Damak, Sept. 2: Farmers in Kamal Rural Municipality of Jhapa district planted paddy of ‘Biji’ species in the second week of Nepali month of Bhadra. They planted for the production of rice seeds. Planting paddy at the end of August is a new practice in Nepal.  

In cooperation with Caritas Nepal, the paddy was collectively planted in Kamal Rural Municipality-2, said local Tanka Kattel, who is also an agricultural technician. He informed that the paddy was planted as an experiment through the Santhal Utthan IPM farmers group which was formed with the participation of indigenous marginalised communities.

After seeing that the field was barren, the paddy was planted as a new practice, seeking permission from the concerned farmers, Kattel said.

The seeds of this variety were sown in May and June and planted in June and July. The seeds were again sown in January and February and planted in February and March.

The paddy which is planted now can be harvested in the month of Kartik. It is said that it can become effective because farmers can harvest paddy and plant seasonal vegetables in the fields.

According to Kattel, if the seedlings now planted yield grain in two months, this variety of rice can be grown up to three times a year. “If this experiment is successful, we can easily grow paddy up to three times a year,” he said.

According to Sagar Bista, chief of Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Jhapa, paddy plantation has been done in around 99 per cent of the total paddy fields in Jhapa this year.

Paddy has been planted in 86,625 hectares out of 87,500 hectares paddy fields in Jhapa this year.