CHITWAN: The annual production of paddy has increased in the district this year.

Paddy production has increased by 11,486 metric tons in the district this year, according to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre Bharatpur.

A total of 96,482 metric tons of paddy was produced in an area of 22,972 hectares this year.

In the last fiscal year 2078/79, the district had produced 84,996 metric tons of rice in the same area of land, said Information Officer of the centre, Meen Bahadur Pun.

Last year, the production was 3.7 metric tons of paddy per hectare, which increased by 4.2 percent to reach 3.79 per hectare this year.

According to the center, production has increased due to reduction in outbreaks of disease and awareness among farmers, paddy promotion program and farmers managing fertilizers through alternative means in the absence of chemical fertilizers.

Although paddy is cultivated all across the district, east Chitwan, west Chitwan and Madi are considered as pocket areas for paddy farming.

In Chitwan, different varieties of paddy such as Sawa Mansuli, Bar, Sabitri, Moti, Gorakhnath, Jiramsino are cultivated.