By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, July 4: Due to the late onset of rainfall this year, only 10 per cent of rice plantation has been completed in Banke so far.

The head of the Agriculture Knowledge Centre Banke, Sakil Ahmad Khan, said that the late start of rainfall in the district has only recently allowed for bed preparation and plantation, resulting in only 10 per cent of the rice being planted.

He said that the rain over the past three to four days has initiated planting in all areas of the district. It is expected that planting will pick up pace and be completed everywhere, as in the past.

Khan added, “By June 29 (Ashad 15), most farmers had been unable to plant seeds due to the lack of rainfall, but since July 1, the rain has started, and the seed planting has been completed and plantation has also started.”

Despite the delayed start due to a water shortage, the Agriculture Knowledge Centre Banke hopes for 100 per cent planting and good production in the district.

Farmers in the district, who were worried about the inability to plant, felt relieved after the rain started. Farmer Ramesh Yadav of Dudhua-5, Banke, expressed relief as rainfall has started, alleviating the concerns caused by drought.

Most farmers in the district have said that such situations will continue every year unless the dependency on rainwater for farming is eliminated. 

Farmer Ramu Thapa of Khajura-3 said that the late onset of rainfall every year caused problems for rice farming in Banke.

Despite the late start of planting this year, Khan indicated that if there were no floods or waterlogging, there was a possibility of better production than in previous years.

Banke has a total of 36,500 hectares of cultivable land for paddy plantation. Last year, paddy was also cultivated on the same area. The Centre has indicated that the same area will be cultivated with paddy this year as well.