Paddy production decreases by 3.22% in Gandaki this year

By Our Correspondent,Kaski, Jan. 13; Paddy production has decreased in Gandaki Province this year. 

According to Agriculture Development Directorate, Gandaki Province, paddy production in the province has decreased by 3.22 per cent this year than last year.

Around 379,032 tonnes of paddy was produced in an area of 97,957 hectares of land in the province. The per hectare productivity stood at 3.87 tonnes.

Last year, 391,624 tonnes of paddy produced in an area of 111,923 hectares in Gandaki Province. The productivity stood at 3.84 tonnes last year. Agriculture Officer of the Directorate, Ranjana Pokharel, said that although the production of rice has decreased, the productivity has increased by 0.03. 

The area of paddy plantation decreased by 3,966 hectares this year in comparison to last year.

She said that rice production has also decreased after people started living in urban areas instead of villages. 

“People have left villages for convenience and started living in cities. The fields are barren. The houses are empty. The youth have migrated abroad. Due to the lack of manpower in the villages, production has reduced,” she said.

The paddy is cultivated in nine districts except Manang and Mustang in Gandaki Province. 

According to the directorate, highest amount of paddy has been grown in Nawalpur compared to other districts of the province.

Around 78,613 tonnes of paddy (chaite and barkhe) was produced from 19,394 hectares of land in Nawalpur.  According to the statistics of the Directorate, the lowest 13,664 tonnes of rice has been produced in Myagdi this year. Similarly, around 62,988 tonnes of rice was produced in Kaski, 57,502 tonnes in Syangja, 44,238 tonnes in Tanahun, 43,054 tonnes in Gorkha, 31,539 tonnes in Lamjung, 26,839 tonnes in Parbat and 20,595 tonnes of rice has been grown in Baglung.

Rice varieties such as Sabitri, Ramdhan, Sukka, Maharaja, Mansuli, IR, Jethobudho, Gurdi, Pahele, Gauriya, Marsi, Seto and Lamo Jhinuva, Ekle are grown in the fields of Gandaki.

There are paddy cultivation pockets in Karaputar, Sotipasal, Sundarbazar, Udipur in Lamjung, Lekhnath, Pame, Arwa, Lahachowk, Ghachowk, Makaikhola in Kaski, Arughat, Palungtar, Chhebetar in Gorkha, Chudiphant, Sangephant, Kalesti, Satrasaya in Tanahun, and Phalebas, Jaljala, and Kushma in Parbat. 

Similarly, paddy cultivation is carried out in Baryang, Galkot, Jaimini, Bodyguard in Baglung, Madhyabindu in Nawalpur, Kawasoti, Gaindakot Municipality, Binayi Tribeni, and Putali Bazaar in Syangja.