Paddy damage by floods, landslides estimated at Rs 3.5 billion

KATHMANDU: Disaster-related incidents across the country, triggered by incessant rain last weekend, have caused losses amounting to billions of rupees in the agriculture sector.

A preliminary report prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development shows that paddy crops alone suffered damages worth Rs 3.5 billion. “Paddy crops on 58,476 hectares were damaged, causing a loss of Rs 3.5 billion,” the report states.

According to the ministry, floods and landslides have affected paddy crops in Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Nawalparasi East, Baglung, Khotang, Jhapa, Kailali, Lamjung, Parvat, Kaski, Syangja, Makwanpur, Kavre and Sindhuli.

Likewise, floodwaters caused damages worth Rs 1.13 billion to fisheries on 458 hectares in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, and Parsa.

Similarly, sugarcane crops on 85 hectares worth Rs 340 million were destroyed in Parsa. Additionally, 24 animal sheds were damaged in Panchthar, Dhankuta, and Terhathum, while floods and landslides claimed a total of 26,205 livestock in Panchthar, Ilam, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Lalitpur and all districts of Madhesh.

According to the report, floods and landslides destroyed orchards on 22 hectares in Kaski, Nawalparasi East, Kanchanpur, and Rautahat, as well as vegetable crops on 4,743 hectares in Khotang, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Bara, and Parsa. Two cold stores and office infrastructure sustained damages amounting to Rs 160 million across various districts.