JALESHWOR, July 31: Inadequate monsoon rains this season in Mahottari have adversely affected paddy transplantation in the district. So far, the district in the Madhesh Province has reported only 40 percent of paddy transplantation.
Agriculture Knowledge Center Mahottari Chief Dr Ramchandra Yadav said the lack of sufficient rains has led to less paddy transplantation. Farmers here have resorted to using shallow tube wells, deep tube wells, and pumping motors to irrigate their paddy plantations. They have hardly managed to cultivate 40 percent of the land.
Paddy transplantation lower in eastern tarai
Mahottari has 45,000 hectares of land suitable for rice cultivation and by the end of July, paddy has been transplanted in just 40 percent of arable land.
The paddy nursery plants have begun to dry due to insufficient rainfall. Paddy seedlings have also withered on the fields.
The nursery plants of paddy have started drying due to the lack of sufficient rains, said farmer Bipendra Pandey of Jaleshwor Municipality-8. The paddy fields have developed cracks due to dryness.
The situation is similar in neighboring areas, such as Ekdara Rural Municipality-4, where Upendra Yadav shares a comparable story. Pramod Mandal of Ramgopalpur Municipality-5 said paddy transplantation this time gets delayed due to the lack of adequate rains.
The Center anticipates a drop in rice production in the district this year.
