Gandaki. Gandaki State has recorded 28.20 per cent sowing till July 15. According to the State Agriculture Development Directorate, sowing has been done on 26,562 hectares of land. Baglung has recorded the highest 45 per cent sowing, Kaski (43 per cent), Myagdi (34 per cent), Lamjung (34 per cent), Nawalpur (29 per cent), Parbat (25 per cent), Tanahun (18 per cent), Syangja (18 per cent) and Gorkha (10 per cent).

Manoj Poudel, agriculture economist at the Directorate, said that sowing could not take place as expected due to lack of rainfall and non-bursting of water sources. “Looking at the situation till June 15, it seems that less planting has been done compared to last year,” he said, adding, “Sowing has already been done in areas with irrigation facilities for the 12 months. He said that if the rain permits, the sowing of most of the areas will be completed by the end of June.

Paddy is cultivated in nine districts of the province except Mustang and Manang. Paddy is expected to be cultivated in 94,182 hectares of land this year. Paddy was cultivated on 96,053 hectares last year and 97,769 hectares in the fiscal year 2079÷80 BS.

This shows that the area under paddy cultivation has been declining in recent times. The area under paddy cultivation is shrinking due to the loss of paddy cultivation area in the name of households and rapid urbanization.

Agriculture economist Poudel said that the productivity of paddy will increase if irrigation, improvement in farming system, disease control, improved seeds, technology and fertilizer management are done in time after the decrease in area. Of the total 479,617 hectares of cultivable land in the state, paddy is cultivated on about 100,000 hectares of land, including Barkhe and Chaite, according to the Directorate.

Nawalpur, Kaski, Syangja, Tanahun and other districts have more area under paddy cultivation. Chhepetar, Palungtar, Arughat, Siranchowk of Gorkha, Dhamilikuwa, Harrabot, Bhorletar, Karaputar in Lamjung, Chundiphant of Tanahun, Satrasay Phanta, Kalestiphant, Makaikhola of Kaski, Handikhola, Pame and Lekhnath of Kaski are the pocket areas of paddy.

Phalebas, Jaljala of Parbat, Putalibazar of Syangja, Aandhikhola, Galyang, Bhagwati, Piple, Ghatan of Myagdi, Badigad, Galkot, Jaimini of Baglung and Kawasoti and Gaindakot of Nawalpur have been designated as pocket areas of paddy.

In Gandaki, savitri, Ramdhan, Jetho budho, Khumal, Sukkha, Ekle, Yellow, Gauria, Manusali, Golden Sugandha and other varieties of paddy are cultivated.