Jumla. The farmers of Jumla are now struggling to harvest the paddy that is ripe in their fields. Laxmi Kumai, a local of Chandannath Municipality-2, said that farmers of Jumla are busy reaching the paddy fields early in the morning and harvesting paddy till late evening.

Most of the farmers here are busy harvesting paddy after the Dashain festival is over. According to Ram Bhakta Adhikari, chief of Agriculture Development Office, Jumla, farmers in the district are busy in the fields to bring paddy on the basis of their calendar. The weather is on the farmers’ side.

Paddy is sown in March, planting is done from May to June, paddy is harvested in August and mid-October and brought to the house by mid-October, said Adhikari. Farmers are in a hurry to bring rain crops including millet, beans and buckwheat.

According to the Agriculture Office, Jumla produced 3,000 metric tonnes of Marsi rice in the fiscal year 2080/81 BS and 250 metric tonnes was exported outside the district. According to the office, paddy is cultivated in 2,850 hectares of land in the district but the area under cultivation has been decreasing in recent years.

Marsi paddy was planted in 1,500 hectares of land last year but this year only 1,200 hectares of land has been planted, according to the Agriculture Development Office. At present, farmers here have been planting paddy of Chandannath-I and Chandannath-III, as well as Lekali-I and Lekali three varieties of paddy recommended by the Agriculture Research Center.

The twins are linked to their identity. Currently, rice is being sold at Rs 180 per kg in Khalanga, the district headquarters. Arjun Budha, proprietor of Raralihi Organic Shop, said that domestic and foreign tourists especially coming to Jumla have been importing Marsi rice.