KATHMANDU: The paddy plantation season is drawing to a close with nearly 96% of the total paddy fields planted as of Sunday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. Out of the total 1.4 million hectares of paddy fields, approximately 1.35 million hectares have been successfully planted.
Joint Secretary and spokesperson at the Ministry, Dr. Hari Bahadur K.C., reported that paddy has been planted in 96.3% of cultivable land across the country, a 15% increase compared to the previous year. The plantation activities are nearing completion, with the potential for a 1-2% increase as planting continues in Madhes, Koshi, and Gandaki provinces.
Sudurpashchim Province has completed its paddy plantation, covering 174,501 hectares of land. Similarly, Karnali has achieved 99.2% (41,578 hectares), Lumbini 96.7% (301,498 hectares), and Gandaki 96.1% (92,270 hectares). Paddy is cultivated in around 41,904 hectares in Karnali, 31,643 hectares in Lumbini, and 96,053 hectares in Gandaki Province.
In Koshi Province, 95% (262,604 hectares) of the paddy fields have been planted, while Madhes and Bagmati provinces have reached 95.4% (368,383 hectares) and 94.9% (108,772 hectares), respectively. Paddy is grown on approximately 276,386 hectares in Koshi, 386,150 hectares in Madhes, and 114,561 hectares in Bagmati Province.
Dr. K.C. highlighted that regular monsoon patterns and the easy availability of chemical fertilizers have significantly contributed to the success of this year’s paddy plantation. “Timely plantation across all provinces suggests an increase in both production and productivity of paddy this year. However, rice production and productivity are heavily dependent on rainfall due to the lack of irrigation facilities on most farms. Unusual rainfall patterns can lead to fluctuations in productivity,” he told The Rising Nepal.
Last year, Nepal achieved its highest paddy yield, producing 5.724 million tonnes. This marked an increase from 5.486 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2022/23 and 5.621 million tonnes in 2020/21. The yield had fallen to 5.13 million tonnes in 2021/22. In the fiscal year 2019/20, Nepal produced about 5.55 million tonnes of paddy. Currently, the per hectare productivity of paddy stands at 3.9 tonnes.
The positive trend in paddy plantation and production reflects Nepal’s agricultural resilience and the importance of monsoon rains and fertilizers in ensuring successful crop yields. As the monsoon season progresses, continued vigilance is necessary to maintain and potentially increase paddy productivity.