Farmers busy with paddy harvesting

BHOJPUR: Terraced fields across the hilly landscape in Bhojpur have turned golden as paddy stalks ripen, signaling the arrival of the harvest season.

As the Dashain festival coincides with the peak paddy-harvesting season, farmers are now preparing to return to their fields after celebrating with family and relatives. Sangita Khadka, a farmer from Bhojpur Municipality-6, said the rush to harvest paddy begins as soon as Dashain rituals, including receiving tika and jamara and enjoying festive feasts, come to an end.

With the arrival of the Nepali month of Kartik, paddy, the region’s main staple crop, has ripened and turned golden, adding to the scenic beauty of the hillsides and villages. Farmers are optimistic that this year’s harvest will be better than in previous years, citing favorable weather, timely monsoon rains, and adequate irrigation.

Bhimsen Phuyal, a farmer from Bhojpur Municipality-5, said the golden paddy fields have enhanced the beauty of the villages and surrounding hillsides. He added that once the festivals conclude, farmers become fully occupied with harvesting paddy, bundling the stalks, threshing the grain, and storing the harvest.

According to Phuyal, harvesting and storing the crop traditionally involve armaparm, a local system of reciprocal labor exchange. In steep, sloping fields where mechanized equipment cannot easily operate, family members and neighbors work together to harvest and bring in the crop.

He added that farmers can finally breathe a sigh of relief once the year’s main staple crop has been safely stored at home.