January 2: Nepal witnessed increase in paddy production this year compared to the last year. However, the country still faces short of 4, 80,000 metric tons of rice to meet national demand.

Nepal requires around 4 million metric tons of rice in a year. But, the domestic production provides only 3.5 million metric tons of the rice.
One individual consumes 121 kg of rice on average in a year. Import of rice and paddy slumped by 6.3 per cent in the current fiscal year compared to the last year.

The import of rice and paddy plummeted by 38.2 per cent in the first five months of the current fiscal year. 

The data at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development show that paddy including summer paddy and early autumn paddy is grown in 14,47,789 hectares of the field across the country. 

Paddy is Nepal’s major food crop. The country’s paddy productivity stands 3.79 metric tons per hectare while total national production of the food crop is 54, 86,472 metric tons. 

 Compared to the last fiscal, total paddy area has shrunk by 2 per cent, while productivity has gone up by 6.94 percent.
Hardinath, Khumal, Radha, and Sworna Sab are some of famous paddy varieties cultivated in Nepal.

For self-sufficiency in paddy, the ministry has been conducting various programmes to promote paddy productivity in collaboration with local and province governments. 

The government has set up the provision to purchase the paddy at minimum support price through cooperatives. The ministry provides Rs 112 management expense per quintal of paddy to each cooperative for paddy’s storage. 

Province-wise, Sudurpaschim Province witnessed 33.33 per cent rise of paddy production this year. Unseasonal rainfall had caused massive damage to paddy in Kailali and Kanchnapur last year.

Likewise, Lumbini Province, Province 1, Karnali and Madhes Province witnessed 15.2 per cent, 5.72, 3.46 and 0.18 per cent growth respectively  in the current fiscal compared to the last fiscal. 

However, paddy production plummeted by 1.45 per cent and 3.74 per cent in Bagmati and Gandaki Province respectively. 

Availability of chemical fertilizers, increasing use of improved seeds and farmers’ access to agriculture technicians have led to the rise of paddy produce, according to the ministry.