Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Agricultural production increased in Lumbini Province in fiscal year 23024/25, even though cultivable land is shrinking continuously.
According to the Economic Activities Study of Lumbini Province for 2024/25 released by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Friday, the total area covered by major crops fell by 0.54% to 857,708 hectares. This decline followed a 0.74% drop in the previous year.
Of the total cultivated area, 89.65% was occupied by food and other major crops, 5.82% by vegetables, 3.07% by fruits, and 1.41% by spices. Tea and coffee were planted on only 0.04% of the cultivable area.
The area covered specifically by food and other crops decreased by 1.42% to 768,968 hectares. Within this category, soybean and potato cultivation increased, while land used for paddy, barley, millet, wheat, buckwheat, maize, sugarcane, pulses and oilseeds declined.
Despite shrinking acreage, production of major food and other crops rose by 3.43%. Output of paddy, maize, wheat, barley, potatoes and pulses increased by 3.95%, 3.34%, 4.63%, 7.32% and 7.30%, respectively. Production of millet, buckwheat, soybeans and oilseeds, however, fell by 14.62%, 40.07%, 8.61% and 7.68%.
Kapilvastu contributed the largest share of the province’s total food crop output at 21.24%, while Rukum East accounted for only 1.55%.
Vegetable production increased by 24.72% to 702,430 tons. Rolpa contributed the largest share at 24.82%, whereas Rukum East contributed 1.12%.
Fruit production, however, declined by 3.63% to 233,420 metric tons after recording a 7.41% rise the previous year. Nawalparasi (West) was the top fruit-producing district, accounting for 26.28% percent of total output, while Rukum East had just a 2.52% share.
Spice production increased by 6.60% to 125,239 metric tons.
Milk output increased by 2.88% to 529.107 million liters, while meat production rose by 3.03% to 88,395 tons. Egg production went up by 3.11% to 232.2 million units, while fish production jumped 13.98% to 17,972 tons.
Forest-based production also increased during the review year. Timber output rose by 2.34% to 3.75 million cubic feet, while firewood production grew by 17.09%. Medicinal plant production was also up by 1.51%.
