Marsi rice planted at world’s highest altitude

By Netra Shahi,Jumla, May 26: Marsi rice has been planted at Chhumchaur Jyulo, called as the world’s highest altitude paddy field. Patarasi Rural Municipality and the Agriculture Office have started the plantation again this year.

The plantation was carried out in the presence of local government representatives, farmers and agriculture experts at the field located at an altitude of around 2,850 metres above sea level.

Rice plantation resumed on Sunday at Chhumchaur Jyulo in Patarasi Rural Municipality of Jumla district. Representatives from government agencies and other stakeholders also took part in the plantation with enthusiasm.

Purna Singh Bohora, Chairperson of Patarasi Rural Municipality, said that preserving Marsi rice is everyone’s responsibility. 

According to him, the rice has high demand and fetches a good price, so the local government has been taking ownership of plantation activities at Chhum Jyulo to help conserve it.

According to the Agriculture Office, Jumla produced 6,125 metric tonnes of rice this year, which is 2.3 per cent higher than last year. Along with Chhumchaur, plantation of Marsi rice has also started in other high-altitude areas of the district. As Marsi rice produced in Jumla is highly nutritious and has gained a better market, efforts have been made to expand its cultivation area. Interest in Chhumchaur Jyulo has increased after Kalimarsi rice plantation was restarted there five years ago.

The rural municipality has also been actively involved in plantation activities at the field. Local elderly people said that the rice plantation first began there in 2021 BS. Due to low production, locals had stopped planting rice several times in the past, but plantation has resumed with support from the local government and the Agriculture Development Office.

Locals said that rice seeds were originally brought from Shera Jyulo of Chandan Nath Temple and planted at Chhumchaur Jyulo.

Ram Bhakta Adhikari, Chief of the Agriculture Development Office, Jumla, said the office has been giving priority to plantation activities to help preserve Marsi rice.