Unseasonal Rainfall Causes Rs 2.5 Billion Paddy Loss in Koshi Province
Biratnagar: The Agriculture Development Directorate in Biratnagar has reported that persistent rainfall in October caused extensive damage to paddy crops worth an estimated Rs 2.5 billion across Koshi Province.
According to the Directorate, continuous rain during the third week of October affected 12,432 hectares of paddy fields and around 200 hectares of vegetable farmland. The downpour also destroyed approximately 2,000 metric tonnes of vegetables valued at Rs 40 million in Sunsari district alone.
Information Officer Purnamaya Gurung stated that paddy crops suffered damage across multiple districts: 4,364 hectares in Jhapa, 3,421 hectares in Morang, 2,851 hectares in Sunsari, 323 hectares in Udayapur, 268 hectares in Ilam, 144 hectares in Panchthar, 120 hectares in Taplejung, 118 hectares in Dhankuta, 157 hectares in Tehrathum, 250 hectares in Bhojpur, 200 hectares in Khotang, 76 hectares in Okhaldhunga, 15 hectares in Solukhumbu, and 125 hectares in Sankhuwasabha.
By estimated value of losses, Morang was the hardest hit, incurring Rs 781.16 million in damages, followed by Sunsari with Rs 453.17 million, Udayapur Rs 46.25 million, Ilam Rs 32.14 million, Bhojpur Rs 26.49 million, Khotang Rs 16.11 million, Dhankuta Rs 13.94 million, Tehrathum Rs 13.32 million, Taplejung Rs 12.24 million, Panchthar Rs 12.21 million, Sankhuwasabha Rs 11.19 million, Okhaldhunga Rs 6.8 million, and Solukhumbu Rs 1.47 million.
Koshi Province had a total of 268,765 hectares of land under paddy cultivation this season. The unseasonal rains, which occurred during the crucial harvest period, have not only reduced expected yields but also raised concerns among farmers and local authorities about the broader economic impact on the region’s agrarian economy.
