KATHMANDU, Dec 24: Paddy production has declined in Bagmati Province this year. The Directorate of Agricultural Development, Bagmati Province said that the production of paddy has decreased by 1.37 percent due to the damage caused by the landslides and floods that occurred on September 27 and 28.
Nabin Kunwar, an agricultural economist at the directorate said that a total of 105,415 hectares of land in Bagmati Province have been used for paddy cultivation in the current fiscal year and the average yield is 3.87 metric tons per hectare, resulting in a total paddy production of 408,316 metric tons.
In the previous fiscal year (FY 2023/24), paddy was cultivated on 109,151 hectares with a production of 413,988 metric tons. According to Kunwar, although paddy production has increased in Chitwan, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Nuwakot compared to the previous year, it decreased in other districts.
Paddy production projected to drop to 5.15 million tons
In Chitwan, the district with the highest paddy cultivation in Bagmati Province, a total of 98,355 metric tons of paddy has been produced this year on 23,700 hectares at a rate of 4.15 metric tons per hectare.
In Nuwakot, 48,390 metric tons of paddy has been produced on 11,615 hectares at a rate of 4.17 metric tons per hectare and 44,400 metric tons of rice has been produced on 11,312 hectares at a rate of 3.89 metric tons per hectare in Dhading.
In Kathmandu this year, rice production reached 23,192 metric tons on 4,924 hectares, with a yield rate of 4.71 percent per hectare followed by 18,926 metric tons of rice on 4,178 hectares, with a yield rate of 4.53 percent per hectare, in Lalitpur; 19,823 metric tons of rice on 3,599 hectares, with a yield rate of 5.51 percent per hectare, in Bhaktapur, as stated by the Directorate of Agricultural Development, Bagmati Province.
This year, paddy production has been significantly affected in districts including Makawanpur, Kavre, Sindhuli, and Sindhupalchok, which were heavily impacted by the floods and landslides.
In Makawanpur, 27,366 metric tons of paddy was produced on 7,017 hectares of land at a rate of 3.9 percent per hectare followed by 31,354 metric tons of paddy on 8,019 hectares at a rate of 3.91 percent in Kavre; 20,015 metric tons of paddy on 7,880 hectares at a rate of 2.54 percent in Ramechhap, and 23,068 metric tons of paddy on 7,900 hectares at a rate of 2.92 percent in Sindhupalchok.
Agricultural economist Kunwar said that in Dolakha, 7,068 metric tons of paddy was produced on 2,872 hectares at a rate of 2.50 percent per hectare, while in Rasuwa, 2,451 metric tons were produced on 1,099 hectares at a rate of 2.23 percent per hectare.
However, floods and landslides have caused a loss of 5,600 metric tons of paddy planted on 37,000 hectares. Although the paddy production was initially expected to increase this year due to timely rainfall and fewer pests and diseases, the damage caused by floods and landslides led to a decrease in overall production.
