Focus schemes on East: Poudel to Agri Ministry

AMID concerns about the alarming rice imports, Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudel has directed the Agriculture Ministry to focus its programmes on three eastern districts—Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari—which are the bulk rice producers. “These three districts have the potential to feed the entire population as productivity rate in these districts can be increased to what China—the largest paddy producer—currently has,” said Poudel at a programme held to mark Asar 15 here on Saturday. “Farm mechanisation and extension of proper research facilities will ensure sufficient food production,” he said, adding these districts have the highest irrigation coverage. Nepal produced 3,171 kg paddy per hectare last year, down 4.3 percent. China’s per hectare paddy productivity stood at 6,686 kg, while India produced 3,590 kg paddy per hectare in 2011-12. Concerned about the alarming rice import, Poudel said Nepal’s agriculture largely depends on rainfall and it would not be good idea to distribute resources in areas that are highly dependent on rain. “The Agriculture Ministry needs to focus on specific areas to boost paddy production,” he said. The ministry has said Nepal will face a rice deficit of 900,000 tonnes this year due to the decline in paddy output. The Trade and Export Promotion Centre statistics show Nepal imported rice worth Rs 11.60 billion (420,490 tonnes) in the first 10 months of the fiscal year. In the same period last year, the country had imported 286,995 tonnes of rice. Moreover, the number of food-deficit districts has jumped to 33 from last year’s 27. Migration of the youth for foreign employment is another worrying factor for the farm sector, he said. “In such a scenario, farm mechanisation is the best option to address growing labour shortage,” he added. Speaking about his recent Switzerland visit, Poudel said, “I saw a machine in a farm that is equal to 1,000 labours.” The chief secretary also expressed concern about the country’s failure to preserve traditional seeds that have been replaced by overuse of hybrids. “If this situation continues, we are going to be totally dependent on imported seeds,” he said. Last year, the delay in monsoon and fertiliser shortage affected the production of major crops, particularly paddy. The country’s paddy output dropped 11.3 percent to 4.50 million tonnes in 2012-13. According to the ministry, the country produced 567,746 tonnes less rice year-on-year. Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudel uses paddy transplanter on the occasion of Asar 15 in Khumaltar on Saturday.