MAHENDRANAGAR, June 30: It is almost Asar 15 (end of June), the time most of the fields were cultivated and paddy planted if it were the normal days. But the scant rainfall this time has badly slowed paddy plantation.
Kanchanpur district has conducted paddy plantation in less than 50 percent of arable land. It was over 65 percent cultivation till this time last year.
Plantation completed in 50% of paddy fields in 14 districts
The District Agriculture Knowledge Centre informed that so far the district recorded 45 percent cultivation for rice crops. Chief of the Centre, Dharma Saud, informed that the district has 48,496 hectares of land suitable for the summer crops, largely the paddy.
Most of the land is heavily dependent on monsoon rains for cultivation, as only 39 hectares of land has irrigation facilities. It is because of the scant rainfall the paddy plantation is delayed, Saud said, adding that even the land with transplantation of rice seedlings are getting dry and the seedlings wilted for scorching heat.
Most of the farmers are facing problems pumping groundwater because the lack of rainfall caused the water table to sink further. "The water table is depleting, causing sheer hindrance to annual agricultural works," he shared.
The Mahakali Irrigation Project (Phase I and II) has provided irrigation to 11,600 hectares of land in Bhimdatta Municipality, Bedkot Municipality, Beldandi Rural Municipality and Belauri Municipality.
Meanwhile, irrigation in 33,000 hectares of land has been aimed with the third phase of the Mahakali Irrigation Project, which is under construction as a national pride project.
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