Paddy plantation 90 per cent complete so far

KATHMANDU, Aug 4: Around 90 per cent paddy plantation has been completed throughout the country so far.

As per the data collected by the Ministry of Agricultural Development as of August 2, rice plantation is over in many parts of the country.

Only 77 per cent rice plantation had been done in the corresponding period last year. This year, the Ministry estimates, 98 per cent rice plantation would have been done by the second week of this month.

The Ministry stated that rice yield last fiscal year was 5 million 151 thousand metric tons and the yield is expected to reach approximately 5.5 million metric tons this time. The rice production in fiscal year 2016/17 was 5.23 metric tons.

Ministry joint spokesman Shankar Sapkota said that the Tarai region produces the bulk of rice in the country. It produces 71 per cent of the total rice yield while the yield in the hilly region is 29 per cent of the total production.

Rice is planted on one million 550 thousand hectares of land. Fluctuation of about 10 per cent in rice production leads to one per cent fluctuation in the country’s GDP.

The Ministry stated that rice production has been growing by approximately four per cent yearly since three decades. RSS