Favourable weather to boost rice production in Sunsari

By Baburam Karki,Barahakshetra, Sept.20: Rice production in Sunsari district is expected to increase this year, thanks to favourable weather conditions and reduced incidence of crop diseases and pests, according to the Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Sunsari.

The district, which is one of the most productive rice-growing areas in the Tarai region, has seen healthy crop growth this season. 

Prabin Lal Shrestha, Information Officer of the Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Sunsari, said that farmers are not coming to the office with the problems of diseases and pests as before. 

He said that production would increase as there are not many diseases and pests in the rice crop like in the past.

He said, “It was estimated that the production would decrease due to late planting of rice and matured saplings, but now the rice crop is generally good.”

Roshan Bista, a farmer from Ramdhuni Municipality-8, said that farmers who planted rice with the help of a boring machine after it did not rain during planting have recently seen a good rice crop due to favourable weather.

Shrestha said that rice has been cultivated in an area of ​​48,090 hectares of land in the district. 

This year, due to the lack of monsoon rain, planting was done in most places in Sunsari using boring machines and canal water. 

Agricultural technicians said that although planting was delayed this year, it has not had much impact on the growth and development of the crop.

Although the cultivable area in Sunsari district is 81,756 hectares, rice has been cultivated in only 48,090 hectares. 

Farmers have been planting varieties such as Swarna Sub 1, Sawan Mansuli Sub 1, Gangasagar 1, Gangasagar 2, Tehrang Sub 1, Loknath 505 and Gorakhnath 509, among others, whereas in the fields of the inner Tarai and riverine areas, farmers have been planting varieties such as Sukkha Dhan 2, Dry Sukkha Dhan 3, Ram Dhan, Hardinath 3. 

Sunsari farmers typically grow rice twice a year, planting both Chaite and Barkhe paddy crops. 

Agricultural technicians have confirmed that the delayed plantation this year has had minimal impact on crop development, raising hopes for a strong harvest.