Over 90 percent rice planting in 37 districts

KATHMANDU, July 31: Farmers in 37 districts have planted their rice in over 90 percent of the paddy land, thanks to satisfactory monsoon precipitation over a couple of weeks.



The picture is good in 10 hill districts including Dolpa, Mugu, Humla, Jumla, Bajura, Bajhang, Darchula, Salyan and Pyuthan, where farmers had planted the crop in all the paddy land by Friday, according to a report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC). [break]



However, average planting across the country is 77 percent or 1.19 million hectares out of a total 1.55 million hectares of paddy across the country. Tarai, the granary of the country, has reported 73 percent planting--the lowest among the geographical belts--followed by the Hills and Mountains where planting stands at 85 percent and 87 percent respectively.



The Far-Western Region has reported the highest planting of 94 percent among the development regions. The Eastern Region, which has the most extensive paddy acreage -- 0.49 million hectares-- has reported 68 percent, followed by 74 percent in the Central Region.



Similarly, planting in the Western Region and the Mid-Western Region has reached 83 percent and 85 percent respectively.



Among the districts with less than 50 percent planting are Panchthar, Tehrathum, Saptari, Siraha and Mahottari, with Siraha reporting 35 percent--the lowest among the 75 districts.

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