High tendency of agriculture dependency worrying

By Rajaram Karki, Kathmandu, Jan 25: Rice production has decreased by four percent in Nepal this year.     

Government officials have stated that rice production has decreased due to factors such as increasing migration to urban areas, construction of industrial and other physical infrastructures on arable land, rapid urbanisation, shortage of agricultural labour, irrigation problems, climate change, uncertainty of profit for farmers, and the migration of youths abroad.     

Based on data obtained from the agriculture-related officials in all the seven provinces, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development published this figure after estimating the area of paddy cultivation, considering last year's data on area under rice cultivation, changes in irrigated area, and interactions with farmers.     

Rice is the main food crop of Nepal. Rice cultivation contributes 12 percent to the domestic production of the agricultural sector. According to the National Statistics Office, in the fiscal year 2081/82, the agricultural sector contributed 25.16 percent to the total domestic production.     

Dr Januka Pandit, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, shared that this year, the reduction in production in the areas where rice was planted was due to farmers not having sufficient availability of improved seeds and fertilisers within the planting period, and the adverse weather and drought during the rice planting season in the Madhesh Province.     

According to data prepared through the joint efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in the current fiscal year, rice could not be cultivated on 3.8 percent of the land, leaving it fallow.     

The 'Agriculture Diary' published annually by the ministry states that about 3.1 million hectares of land is considered cultivable. Nepal's Sixth Agricultural Census mentions that two million 525 thousand 639 hectares of land is cultivable.     

The Sixth Agricultural Census was conducted in 2011. In Nepal, an agricultural census has been conducted every 10 years. The agricultural census started in 1961. One hectare of land is equivalent to 20 ropanis.     

Rice cultivation can be done on about 50 percent of the land in Nepal. It is estimated that rice was cultivated on only 1,376,872 hectares of land this year. Last year, rice was cultivated on 1,402,063 hectares of land.     

Spokesperson Dr Pandit said it has been estimated that paddy production would be decreased by 4.2 per cent in the current fiscal year. A total of 5.7 million metric tonnes of paddy would be produced this year against 5.9 million metric tonnes in the last fiscal year.     

Around 6.2 million metric tonnes of paddy is needed for the current population of the country. Now, Nepal has around 30 million population. The import of rice has increased due to Nepalis habit of having rice on both meals.     

As per the National Statistics Office, the area of agricultural land is decreasing in recent years. As per Agro Census-2068 BS, the agricultural land was 2.525 million hectares while it decreased to 2.218 million hectares in 2078 agro census.     

Paddy plantation takes place from mid-June to mid-August and it is harvested from harvested from mid-October-mid December every year in Nepal. A large number of the country's population still depends on agriculture.     

As per the Agricultural Census-2078 BS, 4.130 million people are depend on agriculture. Of them, 483,208 people have taken agriculture loan. Though the state has been providing concessional loan to farmers for agriculture purpose, 88 per cent farmers still have not got such facility.     

The Ministry Spokesperson opined that Nepal could be self-sufficient on fruits, vegetables and food crops if the farmers involved in traditional agriculture could be made commercial.     

According to the Department of Customs, the country imports different agricultural products worth around Rs 5 billion every month.(RSS)