Paddy plantation completed in only about 27% of arable fields

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, July 9: Paddy plantation has completed only in 26.71 per cent of the total paddy fields across the country as of July 6 (Thursday). 

According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, paddy plantation has been carried out only in 362,625 hectares out of 1.357 million hectares of paddy fields.  According to Ministry, this year’s plantation is 13 per cent less than the same period last year. The paddy plantation was completed in about 40 per cent fields during the same period last year.

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

In Sudurpaschim Province, paddy plantation has completed in 48.97 per cent (83,927 hectares) while 45.02 per cent (38,727 hectares) in Karnali and 36.67 per cent (100,891 hectares) of paddy fields in Koshi Province have been planted by Thursday. 

Paddy is grown in around 171,476 hectares in the Sudurpaschim Province, 17,435 hectares in Karnali Province and 275,133 hectares in Koshi Province.

Paddy plantation has completed in 30.87 per cent (34,807 hectares) in Bagmati, 24.43 per cent (73,386 hectares) in Lumbini and 17.55 per cent (18,361 hectares) of the total paddy fields in Gandaki Province till date.

Likewise, the lowest paddy plantation has been done in Madhes Province where plantation has completed only in 9.53 per cent (33,773 hectares) of the total paddy fields. The Madhes Province is considered to be the stronghold of rice production.

Paddy is grown in around 113,083 hectares in Bagmati Province, 300,392 hectares in Limbini Province, 104,622 hectares in Gandaki Province and 354,383 hectares of land in Madhes Province.

According to the Ministry, the main reason for the delay in plantation is the late onset of monsoon by a few days.

However, the Ministry said that paddy cultivation will be done in all the areas this year due to the fact that the monsoon is favorurable and the plantation is going on all over the country. 

Meanwhile, our Bajura correspondent Sher Bahadur Sarki informed that the paddy plantation was completed in only 45 per cent of the arable land.

According to officials, paddy was planted only in fields nearby the rivers as they could utilise the water. Majority of paddy-growing fields in Bajura lack proper irrigation facilities.

“Out of 230,037 hectares of land in Bajura, only 22,000 hectares of land is arable. Paddy is planted in over 6,000 hectares of the arable land of Bajura, but only 5,235 hectares of the field is used for agriculture throughout the year,” said Min Prasad Jaishi, information officer at the Krishi Gyan Kendra, Bajura.