Marsi rice planted in Chhumchaur, world's highest rice growing altitude

By Netra Shahi,Jumla, May 20: Local marsi paddy has been planted in Chhum Jyulo of Jumla, the highest rice growing altitude in the world.

The paddy planting has been continued this year to preserve marsi rice under the initiative of Kalimarsi Rice Promotion and Conservation Centre, Patarasi Rural Municipality-3. 

According to the District Agricultural Development Office, the 22nd Paddy Day has been celebrated with the slogan of "Plant Jumli marsi rice, protect rice cultivation at the world's highest altitude."

The marsi rice has been planted in the presence of people's representatives of the rural municipality and ward councils and concerned authorities, including local administration, District Agricultural Development Office, Veterinary Hospital and Animal Service Office Jumla and the locals.

In order to preserve the indigenous marsi rice, people's representatives and stakeholders have encouraged farmers for the plantation of local marsi paddy in this area.

In the Chhumchaur village of Patarasi Rural Municipality in the Himalayan district of Jumla, which is 2,800 metres above sea level, paddy is being planted with local music, songs and Deuda song.

As the marsi paddy produced in Jumla is very nutritious and has started to be sold, the planting area of marsi paddy has started to increase. 

After the planting of kalimarsi rice in the Chhumchaur village for the past four years, there has been an increase in interest from all sides. 

The rural municipality itself has been actively planting paddy in the village. 

Local senior citizens have been saying that planting of paddy has started here since 2021 BS. 

The people of the area, who had stopped planting the rice due to low production, have been continuing to plant paddy after about a decade. 

At that time, paddy seeds were brought from the Shera Jyolo of the Chandannath Temple and planted in this Chhumchaur Jyulo.

Ram Bhakta Adhikari, Chief of the Agricultural Development Office, Jumla, said that the office has also been giving priority to planting here for the conservation of marsi rice. 

According to him, this time too, the Paddy Day celebrated in Jumla has been celebrated in Chhumchaur Jyulo.