Kathmandu – Nepal is set to face a decline of more than Rs 15 billion worth of rice production this year, largely due to delayed rainfall, fertilizer shortages, and reduced plantation areas, according to preliminary estimates.
The Ministry of Agriculture reported that only 94.15 percent of targeted paddy fields were planted this season, with a notable shortfall in Madhes Province, where just 86.5 percent of fields were cultivated. In total, 80,579 hectares less land was planted compared to last year.
Based on last year’s yield, the reduced plantation alone could cut output by 337,626 metric tons of rice. With the minimum support price fixed at Rs 3,628 per quintal, this accounts for a loss of around Rs 12.25 billion. Additional productivity losses from late transplantation and poor fertilizer supply could add another Rs 3 billion to the decline.
Former Agriculture Secretary Dr. Yogendra Kumar Karki warned that productivity may fall by nearly 10 percent this year. “Both the area under cultivation and other adverse factors will reduce output,” he said.
Last year, Nepal produced 5.96 million metric tons of rice from 1.42 million hectares of farmland. With annual demand at around 7 million metric tons, the expected shortfall means rice imports are likely to rise further.
