Early rains bring cheer to paddy growers in Nepal

Jun 04, 2021

Bhaktapur (Nepal), June 04 (ANI): Terraced slopes of Changunarayan Hill echoed with the chattering of farmers in a melody! They have started early planting of paddy saplings due to favourable pre-monsoon rains. While carrying out their routine of cultivation, the farmers now celebrate the time singing and splashing muddy water on each other in joy. Early rainfall has ensured the availability of water in slopes in the outskirts of Kathmandu. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers this time are enthralled and excited as compared to previous years. Plantation of paddy saplings is known as "Ropain" in Nepali. It is primarily dominant during the monsoon season that starts from mid June. Ropain songs are dominantly heard during the month of June which might last till July, the high time for farmers to do their cultivation. As per Nepal's Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD), monsoon has already set off in Nepal from 1st of June which will continue for about three months. In Nepal, the paddy is cultivated from the height of 60m above the sea level in Terai to 3000 meters of the hills of Jumla's Chhumchaur. Nepal annually produces about 5.5 million metric tons of paddy while the consumption stands at 7 million metric tons. Last year Nepal produced a total of 5.55 million metric tons from 1.45 million hectares of land.