January 9: The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development revealed that the country produced 5.72 million metric tons of paddy this year. Compared to the last financial year, the production of paddy increased by 4.33 percent in the current year, according to the ministry.

Furthermore, paddy production this year increased by 5.08 percent compared to the average production of the last four years. However, the area of paddy cultivation has decreased even though total output increased.

According to the ministry, the total area with paddy plantation decreased by 0.61 i.e. 8,800 hectares compared to last year to come down to 1.43 million hectares. This is less by 1.73 per cent compared to the average area of the last four years.

Hence, the productivity has increased. "The average productivity of paddy has increased by 4.97 per cent compared to last year and reached 3.98 metric tons per hectare", adds the statement issued by the ministry.

The productivity this year is 6.92 per cent higher than the average productivity of the last four years. In terms of productivity, Koshi province leads with 4.43 metric tons per hectare while it is the lowest in Madhes province with 3.49 metric tons per hectare.

Several factors have contributed to surge of paddy production, including the adoption of developed seeds, a decrease in the impact of diseases and pests, improved fertilizer availability, enhanced use of agricultural tools and technology, and effective seasonal adaptation strategies.

The Ministry gathered the paddy crop statistics using satellite images in collaboration with the Ministries of Agriculture across all seven provinces and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). (RSS)