A surge in monsoon rainfall across Nepal has accelerated paddy transplantation, reaching 92.57% of available rice fields nationwide.
According to the latest data from the Department of Agriculture, farmers have completed paddy planting across approximately 1.26 million hectares of the country’s 1.37 million hectares of cultivable rice land. The current progress represents a jump of nearly 10 percentage points compared to the same period last year, when the transplantation rate stood at 83.93% due to delayed rains.
Key Highlights:
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Provincial Standings: Sudurpaschim leads the country with 99.79% completion, followed by Bagmati (96.12%), Lumbini (94.83%), Karnali (94.8%), Gandaki (92.13%), and Madhesh (over 90%). Koshi Province currently lags slightly behind at 86.97%.
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Recovery in Madhesh: The Madhesh Province, considered the country’s primary food basket, saw a recovery of over 33 percentage points compared to last year’s severe rainfall deficit.
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Economic Impact: Agriculture accounts for roughly 24% of Nepal’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs over 60% of the population. Early transplantation generally protects crops from pest infestations and allows timely preparation for winter crop cycles.
Agriculture experts note that while the swift transplantation rate is encouraging, final crop yields will still heavily depend on consistent rainfall and adequate fertilizer supplies during the critical growth period over the next month.