Rice production in the country is likely to plunge.
The rainfall during the latter period of the monsoon this year was either very erratic or untimely for paddy plantation especially in the major pocket districts in eastern Terai such as Siraha, Mahottari, Sunsari, Sarlahi and Dhanusha.
As such, it is forecasted that the production will go down.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC), the Terai districts that contribute around 70 percent of the total paddy production lacked adequate rains during the plantation time.
Rice was planted in around 93 percent of the total arable land by August-end last year, while it was around 91 percent this year. Siraha, Mahottari, Sunsari, Sarlahi and Dhanusha saw plantation in around 85 percent, which was higher last year.
Paddy production in 2009-2010 was around 11 percent less than the previous year that saw production at 4.52 million tonnes. In 2009-10, the country's overall paddy production was 4.02 million tonnes.
Likewise, the overall grain production including crops like rice, wheat, maize, buckwheat and barley declined to 4.33 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2009-10 compared to the previous year.
On the other hand, the 2009-10 winter crop production increased by 16 percent in comparison to last year.
Government fails to provide seeds
Meanwhile, Parbat district has been hit by the shortage of the required vegetable seeds as District Agriculture Office (DAO) failed to bring the necessary seeds in time.
Due to the shortage of necessary seeds, the farmers have been forced to travel hours in search of seeds but have to return empty handed and have not been able to grow green vegetables in the district.
The seeds of radish, turnip, cauliflower, cabbage, bean and lettuce are in shortage.
According to Chandra Kanta Khanal, DAO chief, the drought has affected the production of the seeds and also the government could not buy the seeds at higher rate.
He also said that the office has distributed only 20 percent of seeds this year compared to previous years while the government used to sell some 500 kg of vegetable seeds.
The price of the vegetable's seeds available in the market has also increased by over 100 percent.
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