Farmers of eastern Tarai districts, including Siraha and Saptari, rushed to the field and engaged in plantation on Monday after downpour for two days provided much-needed water for plantation in those monsoon-dependent districts.
Likewise, our correspondent in Chitwan reported that the farmers here have also started plantation at war footing. They are relieved that the monsoon, prior to the end of plantation season, has bailed them out from possible adversities.
Mahavir Mahato, a farmer in Siraha, said the delayed plantation could still hit the final yield. “Nonetheless, we are happy that we will get at least some yield. After all, something is better than nothing,” he told myrepublica.com.
Owing to long spell of drought, some 85 percent arable land in Saptari and 79 percent in Siraha have not been prepared for plantation.
Likewise, District Agriculture Development Office (DADO) reported that paddy plantation had not been completed in about 65 percent of agricultural land in Chitwan. Geni Lal Yadav, officer at Siraha DADO, stated that if the rain continued at the present rate for the next four days, the farmers would be able to complete plantation in at least 50 percent of 59,000 hectares of cultivable land in the district.
Officer at Saptari DADO said paddy plantation could be possible in half of 58,925 hectares of cultivable land in the district if the shower lasted for next 15 days.
The picture portrayed by DADOs appears rosy given the present stretch of land that has remained barren due to arid condition. However, the dark side of the story is that these offices have revealed that half of the total cultivable land of the two crucial paddy producing districts will remain barren this season.
“Initial indications show that paddy production this season will go down substantially,” said Yadav. Paddy plantation had become possible in over 80 percent of cultivable land in Siraha last season.
Because of drought, most of the saplings prepared for plantation have dried up. Delayed plantation too will cut the yield.
Farmers in Chitwan informed that they had started sowing paddy seeds to prepare saplings for plantation. Chandra Bahadur Ranabhat, a farmer in Chitwan, stated that shortage of workers could affect the plantation.
Paddy plantation has completed in 29,655 hectares in Chitwan. Given the low plantation and use of saplings that give low yields, Bishnu Subedi, officer at DADO Chitwan, estimated the paddy production to drop by about 40 percent this season.
The grim picture suggests that Tarai districts, often referred to as the rice-bowl of the country, could themselves reel under food shortage.
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