Paddy plantation gains momentum in Madhes

By Dhirendra Prasad Sah,Janakpur, Aug. 10: After weeks of drought and delayed monsoon, paddy plantation in the Madhes Province is finally getting momentum, thanks to much-needed rains that arrived last week.

Farmers across several districts in the province, who had been waiting for rains, have now returned to their fields and started planting paddy at a fast pace. 

The recent rainfall has brought relief to farmers and the government, who were growing concerned over the sharp delay in rice cultivation — a staple crop for the region and the country.

The paddy plantation has increased significantly within a week. Paddy plantation has been done an additional 33.81 per cent of total paddy field in Madhes Province within a week from August 1 to 8.

With this, paddy plantation has been completed in around 76.54 per cent of the total paddy fields as of Friday, according to Agriculture Development Directorate, Naktajhij. 

According to the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Madhes Province, around 542,580 hectares of land is cultivable in the province. 

Out of this, paddy is being planted in 372,645 hectares of land. So far, paddy plantation has been done in 285,234 hectares of land.

By August 1, paddy plantation had been done only 42.73 per cent of the total paddy fields in Madhes Province.

With the increase in paddy planting, only 23.46 per cent of the total paddy cultivation area in Madhes Province remains to be planted, said Pratibha Kumari Yadav, Technical Assistant at the Directorate of Agricultural Development, Nakatajhij of Madhes Province.

Local farmer Indradev Yadav said that after the rains, he and other farmers have stopped all work and are busy planting.

He said, “Only five katthas of one bigha of land are left to plant paddy. The field is wet. It has not rained yet. If there is enough water to make it muddy, I can plant paddy in those five kaththas of land.”

Another farmer Kari Yadav said that since last Sunday, there has not been enough rain, but sporadic rain has helped in planting rice.

He said that if there is good rain again, rice planting will be completed.

He said that the fields have been wet, and they are relying on canals, culverts, shallow tube wells, and deep borings for additional water to plant paddy. 

He, however, said that heavy rains are needed once again to plant paddy in remaining land.

Due to lack of rain, paddy planting has been satisfactory in four districts -- Saptari, Siraha, Mahottari and Dhanusha, which had the lowest planting among the eight districts of Madhes Province. 

Due to the lack of rain, the planting of rice in four districts of Madhes Province namely Saptari, Siraha, Mahottari, and Dhanusha, which have the lowest plantation among the eight districts, is satisfactory now. 

In Mahottari, paddy plantation has been completed in only 61.5 per cent of the total paddy field, the lowest, according to Dr. Saroj Chaudhary, Senior Animal Development Officer at the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Madhes Province. 

He said that paddy has been planted in 70 per cent of the total paddy fields in Saptari and Dhanusha. 

Earlier, only 40 per cent of the area had been planted in these two districts, he said.

Similarly, paddy plantation has been done in around 70 per cent of the total paddy fields in Siraha. Earlier, only 50 per cent of the area had been planted.

Meanwhile, paddy plantation has increased by 10-12 percentage points in other four districts -- Parsa, Bara, Rautahat and Sarlahi – by this week.

In Parsa, paddy plantation has been done in 92 per cent of the total paddy fields.

Similarly, paddy plantation has been done in 95 per cent of the paddy fields in Bara, 85.9 per cent in Rautahat and 75 per cent in Sarlahi as of Friday.