July 26: Due to a scarcity of rainfall during this year's rainy season, the paddy seedlings plantation in Tanahun district has faced significant delays.

Typically, paddy transplantation is completed by the end of the Asar month in the district; however, the lack of sufficient rainfall has hindered paddy cultivation this year.

Farmers in various places of Tanahun have expressed their concerns over the situation. Dev Bahadur Kamali from Bhanu Municipality-2 reported that many farms have been left unplanted due to the absence of rain.

This has resulted in worries among farmers regarding limited grain output. Shivalal Pradhan, a farmer from Kalesti in Byas Municipality-7, highlighted that the lack of water supply for plantation has compounded their difficulties.

Pradip Ghimire of Byas Municipality-7 pointed out that land plots could remain barren this year if adequate rainfall does not occur.

According to Kul Prasad Tiwari, the Senior Agricultural Development Officer and Chief of Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Tanahun, an estimated 15 percent of the farmland in the district may remain unutilized due to the delayed planting caused by the lack of rainfall.

Tiwari said that paddy transplantation has been completed on approximately 75 percent of the land in Tanahun, and this figure could potentially reach 85 percent by the end of the season, assuming more rainfall arrives.