Nepal records bumper paddy production this year

5.95 million tonnes of paddy worth above Rs. 200 billion produced

Kathmandu, Jan. 4: Nepal has recorded a bumper paddy production this year thanks to favourable monsoon rain. 

According to a preliminary report made public by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development on Friday, the country produced over 5.95 million tonnes of paddy this year, which is the highest amount ever produced.  It is 4.04 per cent higher than last year’s yield. About 5.724 million tonnes of paddy was produced last year. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the country’s agricultural sector, which is heavily reliant on rice cultivation as a staple food. This figure has been achieved due to positive growth in productivity. 

According to the ministry, paddy (Barkhe--planted in July, and Chaite-planted in March) was planted in around 1.420 million hectares of land this year while it was planted in around 1.438 million hectares of land last year.

The paddy harvest surpasses previous production records, and this is attributed to the timely and abundant rainfall across Nepal during the paddy plantation season. Farmers in the Tarai, mid-hills, and even the mountainous regions benefitted from regular rainfall, which helped boost crop yields.

The average productivity has reached 4.19 tonnes per hectare, which is the highest productivity. Last year, the productivity was limited to 3.98 tonnes per hectare. The production and productivity of both Chaite and Barkhe rice have increased this year. Spokesperson at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr. Matina Joshi Vaidya said that the timely and regular rainfall and smooth supply of chemical fertilisers have contributed to the high production and productivity this year. 

“The monsoon became active three days earlier than average this season and the average rainfall during that period was higher than the average of the previous season, which helped an increase in production, ” she said.

Similarly, the increase in the import of chemical fertilisers and improved varieties of paddy seeds compared to the same period last year has also boosted production, said Baidya. 

Highest yield in Madhes Province, followed by Koshi

In terms of provinces, paddy production has increased in Koshi Province, Madhes Province, Lumbini Province and Sudurpaschim Province while the production growth in the remaining three provinces remained negative. 

A significant increment in the production of paddy was noticed in Madhes Province, the food storage province of the country, and in Lumbini Province.

According to the Ministry, around 1.48 million tonnes of paddy was produced in 374,117 hectares of paddy fields in Madhes Province this year. This is 10.70 per cent higher than the last year's production.  Around 1.337 million tonnes of paddy was produced last year.

Similarly, around 1.466 million tonnes of paddy was estimated to be produced in Koshi Province, around 1.364 million tonnes in Lumbini, 498,662 tonnes in Bagmati Province, around 379,032 tonnes in Gandaki Province, around 130,191 tonnes in Karnali Province and 636,212 tonnes in Sudurpashchim Province.

The production of paddy increased by 2.16 per cent in Koshi Province, 4.06 per cent in Lumbini Province and 6.19 per cent in Sudurpashchim Province this year.

Similarly, paddy yield declined by 1.13 per cent in Bagmati Province and by 3.22 per cent in Gandaki Province.  

According to the report, the area of rice cultivation in Rukum (West) was less this year than last year, resulting in a decrease in production in the entire Karnali Province. The production of paddy declined by 10.25 per cent in Karnali this year. 

The productivity of Chaite paddy has also been higher than that of Barkhe paddy this year. 

The productivity of Chaite paddy stood at 4.98 tonnes per hectare and of Barkhe at 4.13 tonnes per hectare this year.

Paddy is a key crop for Nepal, as it feeds the majority of the population and supports the livelihood of millions of farmers across the country. 

The boost in production also has the potential to improve the economic stability of rural households and enhance Nepal’s agricultural exports. 

When rice production increases, the gross domestic product (GDP) and economic growth rate also increase. Paddy alone contributes about 15 per cent to the agricultural GDP and 5 per cent to the overall GDP.

As per the minimum support price fixed by the government, the country produced paddy worth over Rs. 200 billion this year. 

In July last year, the government fixed the price of coarse variety paddy at Rs. 3,410.51 per quintal and of medium variety paddy at Rs. 3,580.62 per quintal for this fiscal year.