Around 59 percent of this year’s paddy plantation has been completed across Nepal, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD). As of July 13, paddy has been sown on approximately 816,405 hectares of land, which is about 8 percent less than the area covered during the same period last year.
Sudurpaschim Province is leading the progress with 93 percent of its target already achieved, covering around 164,000 hectares. Karnali Province follows closely with 83 percent plantation over 64,000 hectares, and Lumbini Province has planted paddy on 223,000 hectares, reaching 73 percent of its seasonal goal.
At this point last year, paddy plantation had covered about 67 percent of the total targeted area. Officials expect that if favorable conditions continue, the plantation rate will reach around 98 percent by mid-August.
Spokesperson Mahananda Joshi of MoALD emphasized that the Terai region, Nepal’s agricultural heartland, accounts for nearly 70 percent of the country’s total rice production, while the hilly regions contribute the remaining 30 percent.
In the previous fiscal year (2023/24), Nepal harvested 5.724 million metric tonnes of rice. However, factors like adverse weather, excessive rain, floods, and droughts have affected the pace and efficiency of plantation in several areas this season.
Paddy cultivation in Nepal typically spans around 1.4 million hectares annually. Officials are optimistic that with the use of modern technology, improved seed varieties, and better farming techniques, rice production can increase in the coming years.
This year, the government has projected a total rice output of 6 million metric tonnes, which is expected to yield about 3.5 million metric tonnes of edible rice. Given rice’s crucial role in Nepal’s economy, even a 10 percent fluctuation in rice production can result in a 1 percent shift in the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
