By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, July 24: Paddy plantation has completed in 91.68 per cent of the country’s total paddy filed as of Tuesday.
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agricultural and Livestock Development (MoALD), paddy plantation has completed in around 1.25 million of 1.37 million hectares of paddy filed so far.
Paddy plantation has increased by 27.89 per cent at present compared to same period last year, as plantation had completed only in 63.79 per cent of total paddy fields by the first week of Shrawan last year.
Availability of manpower due to the lockdown and timely rainfall are the main reasons for the progress made in paddy plantation by the first week of Shrawan this year, said Dr. Hari Bahadur KC, spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
“Paddy plantation is expected to complete at around 98 per cent of the total paddy field this year as plantation in some areas in the hilly region looks unlikely,” he said.
The Ministry expected an expansion of the paddy plantation area this year as youth who went their hometown due to the COVID-19 are engaging in agriculture activities. They even planted paddy in the field, which used to remain barren in the past, he said.
In the past years, paddy plantation used to take place in only around 94-95 per cent of the total paddy field.
Paddy plantation activities would complete by July end, he said. However, paddy planation in about 1 per cent of the paddy filed will continue till August 15.
Around 85.23 per cent (294,984 hectares) plantation has completed in the hilly region, 87.65 per cent (42,240 hectares) in the mountain region and 94.17 per cent (920,382hectares) in the Terai region, he said.
Out of the total 1.37 million hectares of paddy field in the country, around 48,193 hectares lie in the mountain region, 346,099 hectares in the hilly region and 977,414 hectares in the Terai.
Paddy plantation completed at around 96.77 per cent (353,790 hectares) in State-2, 96.23 per cent (36,939 hectares) in Karnali State and 95.49 per cent (157,221 hectares) in Sudurpaschim State.
Similarly, paddy plantation has completed in 95.14 per cent (288,838 hectares) in State-5, 82.41 per cent (227,362 hectares) in State-1, 91.11 per cent (98,655 hectares) in Gandaki State and 82.22 per cent (94,799 hectares) in the Bagmati State.