Agriculture ministry seeking alternative measures to resolve problems in drought-hit Terai districts

KATHMANDU, July 31: Newly appointed Minister for Agriculture Development Ram Krishna Yadav has said that he would bring new policies and programs related to Agriculture development very soon.

Speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Monday, Minister Yadav said, “The new programs will basically aimed at improving the agriculture sector of the country as it is the only key for the development of national economy.”

Yadav, stating that he too was a son of a farmer, further said, “Management of overall agriculture sector of the country is our responsibility.”

“We are preparing to bring short-term, mid-term and long term policies and programs related to agriculture development,” he added while speaking during an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Monday.

Minister Yadav also stated that the Agriculture Ministry would soon provide compensation to farmers whose paddy farms are cracked because of drought.

“We are planning to irrigate land in the drought-hit paddy field in Terai districts as an alternative management to resolve the problems.”

“Study is underway. We will immediately come up with new action plans to provide solution to the ongoing problems,” Yadav added.

Due to late arrival of monsoon in Terai, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, and Banke districts have seen delayed paddy plantation, which has been a matter of serious concern of farmers this year.

According to Ministry of Agricultural Development, although the country has seen 74 percent of paddy plantation, the major districts of paddy production have only seen 40-45 percent of it till the end of July. The plantation is comparatively less than last year which had seen 80 percent around this time.