By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Aug. 14: Paddy plantation has been done in 98.19 per cent of total paddy filed throughout the country this year, thanks to regular and timely rainfall.
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the paddy plantation has been completed in about 1.346 million hectares of total 1.371 million hectares of paddy field this year.
Paddy plantation area this year is almost 4 per cent higher than last year. Paddy was planted only in 94.43 per cent of paddy field last year.
The timely and regular rainfall contributed to achieve this significant progress in paddy plantation this year, said Hari Bahadur KC, joint secretary and spokesperson at the Ministry.
Availability of needed manpower and favourable weather are the reasons behind timely and increased plantation, he said, adding that the policy of the federal, state and local governments had also encouraged the farmers to plant paddy in all their paddy fields, much of which used to remain barren in the past.
“Timely plantation will help increase the production as well. We expect that the production of paddy may increase by up to 200,000 tonnes this year. However, further rainfall will determine the better yield,” he told The Rising Nepal.
Last year, about 5.55 million tonnes of paddy was produced across the country.
He further said that the production would increase if the productivity improved. Present productivity of paddy stands at 3.8 tonnes per hectare.
Paddy is a major agricultural production of the country as the share of paddy to the total domestic agricultural products stands at around 20 per cent.
The data shows that around 97.27 per cent (336,660 hectares) plantation has been completed in the hilly region, 98.54 per cent (47,487 hectares) in the mountain region and 98.50 per cent (962,772 hectares) in the Terai region, he said.
Paddy plantation has been completed at around 99.02 per cent (362,030 hectares) in State-2, 99.86 per cent (164,415 hectares) in Sudurpaschhim State and 98.66 per cent (299,522 hectares) in State 5.
Similarly, paddy plantation has been completed in 98.53 per cent (37,820 hectares) in Karnali State, 97.68 per cent (105,766 hectares) in Gandaki State, 97.85 per cent (112,818 hectares) in Bagmati State and 95.88 per cent (264,546 hectares) in State-1.
Paddy plantation has improved and been higher in all states this year compared to last year.