Jhapa records highest rice production

Jhapa district topped the list of highest rice producing district whereas Syangja tooped the list of highest maize producing district.
"Though, we have good crops in all the regions this year, productivity is still low," spokesperson of the ministry Dr Hari Dahal said, adding that current productivity is around 3.3 MT per hector.
Bhaktapur has the highest productivity of 5.93 MT per hector followed by Lalitpur and Nuwakot districts with 5.79 MT per hector and 5.76 MT per hector, respectively, he added.
In high rice yield, Terai has contributed 73.24 per cent to 3.71 million MT followed by Hill 25.82 per cent to 1.20 million MT and Mountain 3.05 per cent to 154,459 MT.
Food security situation has significantly improved with record production of two major crops, rice and maize, thanks to good monsoon.
"The country has bumper crops this year," Dahal said, adding that rice production recorded 5.07 million metric tonnes (MT) and maize 2.17 MT this year improving the food security situation as the production is sufficient to feed 26.62 million populace.
"We can even export up to 200,000 MT rice to neighbouring or third countries in quantitative restriction," he said. "Bangladesh has been suffering a food shortage of about half a million MT this year."
Nepal has witnessed 13.7 per cent increment in rice and 5.4 per cent in maize production.
Earlier rice production has recorded 4.52 million MT in fiscal year 2008-09. Last two years had witnessed continuous fall posting only 4.02 million MT in 2009-10 and 4.46 million MT in 2010-11.
According to him, increase in rice production contributed by not only the good monsoon but also increased cultivation area. Rice cultivating area has increased by 2.3 per cent to 1.53 million hectors. However, maize production has increased to 2.17 million MT despite 3.8 per cent fall in production area.
According to the ministry, millet (Kodo) and buckwheat (Phapar) production also increased by 4.1 per cent and 13.3 per cent, respectively. About 315,067 MT millet and 10,021 MT buckwheat have produced in the country this year.
Global rice production has increased by three per cent in the current year. Rice production has decreased in only a half dozen countries including Japan, Indonesia and South Korea.


Top rice producing districts
Jhapa–321,840 MT
Rupandehi–301,000 MT
Morang–277,610 MT
Bara–241,340 MT
Kapilbastu–207,350 MT
(Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives)

Top maize producing districts
Syanja–92,750 MT
Ilam–77,500 MT
Bhojpur–74,370 MT
Tanahu–63,970 MT
Baglung–59,044 MT
(Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives)

Rice-Maize prodution on rise
Year — Rice — Maize
2009-10 –– 4.02 — 1.85
2011-12 –– 4.46 — 2.06
2010-11 — 5.07 — 2.17
(Figures in million metric tonne. Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives)