Some districts have seen plantation in just one-third of the average plantation rate. [break]
The Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives (MoAC) said Sunday that plantation in the Eastern Region - often referred to as the rice bowl of the country - has seen just 25 percent plantation.
Dr Hari Dahal, spokesperson of MoAC, said paddy plantation in Central Region and Western Region have been reported at 39 percent and 44 percent of the total paddy fields respectively. Mid-Western and Far-Western regions saw plantation in 52 percent and 48 percent of the paddy fields respectively, according to MoAC.
Ministry sources informed myrepublica.com that plantation has been recorded in only 32 percent of total paddy fields in Tarai, which boasts of around 71 percent of total paddy fields across the country. Similarly, Hilly and the Mountainous regions have reported plantation in 57 percent and 62 percent of their total paddy fields respectively.
“Though overall plantation recorded so far is not that impressive, it is far better than the figures recorded at this time of year last year. Plantation area will increase significantly in Tarai districts if monsoon became active for the next couple of weeks,” Dahal added.
Most of the major paddy producing districts in Tarai are reporting plantation of as low as 10 percent of total paddy lands. According to MoAC, they have recorded paddy plantation in 10 percent of total paddy fields in Kapilvastu, 15 percent in Rautahat, 20 percent in Dhanusha, and 12 percent in Saptari as of Sunday.
Similarly, plantation has been recorded at 75 percent each in Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu; 80 percent each in Kathmandu, Kaski and Lamjung; 73 percent in Baglung; 93 percent in Rukum; 70 percent each in Bajura, Bajhang, Darchula and Dadeldhura; and 97 percent in Jajarkot.
Himalayan districts that largely depend on outsourced food topped the list of districts having the highest rate of plantation. Dolpa, Humla, Jumla and Pyuthan have reported cent percent plantation, Dahal said.
Of the total of 3.1 million hectares of arable land available for agriculture, some 1.1 million hectares enjoy relative irrigation facilities. Of the total 1.5 million hectares of paddy fields across the country, only 0.4 million hectares have irrigation facilities round the year.
Meanwhile, MoAC has proposed around Rs 700 million in the upcoming budget production and preservation of improved seeds of cereal crops in a bid to encourage farmers to increase frequency of replacement of seeds.
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