Millet cultivation decreases in Gulmi

By Our Correspondent,Gulmi, Aug. 3: Millet production has decreased significantly in the district this year.

It has been found that the millet farming area has been decreasing every year in Gulmi. 

According to the statistics of the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Gulmi, there was no decline in the production of millet in the district until the fiscal year 2022/23 even though the farming area dropped. But the production was likely to decrease by 11.50 per cent last fiscal as compared to the previous year.

According to the statistics of millet production for the last three years, it has been found that the millet planting area is decreasing even though the production is stable. Nabaraj Bhandari, chief of Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Gulmi, said that the attractiveness of farmers towards millet cultivation has decreased in recent times due to lack of manpower. 

According to the Centre, about 3,270 tonnes of millet was produced in ​​2,902 hectares of land in the fiscal year 2021/22, with per-hectare productivity standing at 1.13 tonnes. In the year 2022/23, about 3,776 tonnes of millet was produced in 2,905 hectares. 

He said that the productivity was 1.30 tonnes per hectare in the fiscal year 2022/23.

Likewise, in the last fiscal year 2023/24, about 3,341 tonnes of millet was produced in an area of ​​2,881 hectares and the per-hectare productivity stood at 1.16 tonnes.

Isma, Madane, Malika, Dhurkot, Kaligandaki and Chandrakot Rural Municipalities of this district are considered the main pocket areas of millet cultivation. The millet is considered to be the fourth most important food crop of Nepal after rice, corn and wheat.

Bhandari said that wild animals, rabbits and other animals have caused a lot of problems for the farmers, citing that due to the lack of rain at the time of plantation, seedlings could not grow and disease attacked the millet.

He said that the indigenous crop protection campaign was launched by the Centre after  millet cultivation was gradually decreasing.