Floods ravaged paddy crop at Nepalthok in Sindhuli. Photo: RSS
KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has projected a decline in paddy production this year due to heavy rainfall in the last week of September.
With plantation completed on 99% of paddy fields, the ministry had earlier forecast a growth in paddy production. However, crop damage due to heavy rains, landslides and floods has forced officials to revise their estimates downward.
According to the Department of Agriculture, paddy was transplanted on 1,380,000 out of 1,390,095 hectares of paddy fields across the country this season. This is a growth of 8% in plantation area compared to the past year.
In fiscal year 2023/24, Nepal produced 5.73 million tons of paddy – a growth of 7% compared to the previous fiscal year.
Citing increased plantation area, Dr Hari Bahadur KC, the spokesperson for the ministry, had initially estimated paddy production to increase by 9% this year.
“However, the recent floods have made the growth forecast unattainable,” KC added.
Last year, paddy production increased by 7% thanks to timely rainfall, advanced technology and easy availability of fertilizers. Similar conditions encouraged officials to make a better forecast this year. “The crop was promising which is why production was expected to rise. But heavy rainfall severely damaged paddy crops in the hills and flood waters in the Tarai, reducing overall yields,” Kesi explained.
According to the Ministry, paddy production is anticipated to decrease by 150,000 tons this year. While last year’s average productivity had increased by 4.97%, reaching 3.98 metric tons per hectare (6.92% above the four-year average), this year’s adverse weather conditions have disrupted those gains.
The Ministry also reported that floods and landslides have caused an estimated agricultural loss of over Rs 6 billion. The paddy crop, in particular, suffered extensive damage, with about 58,476 hectares destroyed, especially in Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari and Sarlahi districts.
The total losses across crops, livestock, and fisheries are estimated to exceed Rs 6 billion.
Nepal produced 5.48 million tons of paddy in 2022/23, compared to 5.13 million tons in 2021/22, 5.62 million tons in 2020/21 and 5.55 million tons in 2019/20, data of the ministry shows.
