KATHMANDU: Nepal has completed rice plantation on 91 percent of its cultivable paddy fields, eight percentage points higher than the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
So far, around 1.254 million hectares of land have been planted with paddy out of the total 1.4 million hectares suitable for cultivation.
The Far West Province leads with 99.7 percent completion, followed closely by Karnali and Lumbini provinces at 98 percent , ministry spokesperson Mahananda Joshi said. He added that overall plantation is expected to reach 98 percent by the second week of September.
Madhesh Province recorded the lowest plantation rate at 76 percent, compared to 97 percent at this time last year. Joshi attributed the decline to a late monsoon and insufficient rainfall in the region.
The ministry notes that the Terai plains are the most suitable for rice cultivation, contributing around 70 percent of total production, while the hill regions account for the remaining 30 percent .
In fiscal year 2023/24, Nepal produced 5.724 million metric tonnes of paddy. This year, production is projected to reach 6 million metric tonnes, yielding about 3.5 million metric tonnes of edible rice.
Joshi cautioned that adverse weather, natural disasters, floods, and droughts have delayed planting in some areas. However, he expressed optimism that improved farming skills, modern technology, and high-yield seed varieties will help boost overall production.
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