Jumla. The paddy planted in May has started ripening. The paddy fields here have started ripening.

Ram Bhakta Adhikari, chief of the Agriculture Development Office, said that the demand for Marsi rice has been increasing in the country and abroad in recent times. This season, the fields have been flooded with rice of Marsi and other varieties.

The state government has given priority to the promotion of marshidhan, conservation. Under the program, a budget of Rs 8.50 lakh has been allocated from the Ministry of Agriculture for the promotion of organic agriculture, development of indigenous crops and conservation.

Similarly, Rs 8 lakh has been received from the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Project for the Marsi Dhan Block Development Program. Paddy is cultivated on 2,888 hectares of land in the district. Out of this, 1,068 hectares or 37 percent of the area is produced in the local Jumli Marsidhan.

Last year, about 175 metric tonnes of Marsi rice was sold and distributed from October to mid-March. According to the office, 3.5 crore farmers have earned income from this. The Agricultural Research Center has recommended the cultivation of Chandannath 1 and 3 varieties of paddy in different areas here.