Sudurpaschim: Although the area under cultivation has decreased in recent years in the Sudurpaschim Province, productivity has increased. It is said that the production has increased even though the area under main cereal crops decreased, as farmers started improving farming methods and became oriented towards commercialism.
According to National News Agency Nepal, statistics from the Sudurpaschim Agriculture Development Directorate reveal that paddy was cultivated on 183,317 hectares in the province in fiscal year 2079/80 BS, yielding a production of 648,924 metric tonnes. In that financial year, the rice productivity in this province stood at 3.54. Similarly, wheat was cultivated on an area of 144,582 hectares, resulting in a total production of 331,092 metric tonnes, with a productivity of 2.29. Maize cultivation covered 50,607 hectares, producing 104,250 metric tonnes with a productivity of 2.06. Millet, grown on 117,112 hectares, had a productivity of 1.14.
In fiscal year 2080/81 BS, despite a reduction in the production area, productivity and paddy production saw an increase. The rice cultivation area decreased by 4,242 hectares, yet production and productivity rose, with paddy cultivated over 179,046 hectares yielding 672,928 metric tonnes, and productivity reaching 3.76. Wheat was grown on 139,732 hectares with production hitting 328,069 metric tonnes, and productivity increased to 2.35. Maize production rose to 106,997 metric tonnes on 49,258 hectares, with productivity improving to 2.17.
By fiscal year 2082/83 BS, the area under paddy cultivation further decreased to 177,230 hectares, while productivity increased to 3.88, resulting in a production of 686,887 metric tonnes. Information Officer of the Directorate, Keshav Raj Pandey, stated that crop production has been increasing in Sudurpaschim. “Crop production is high in Kailali and Kanchanpur in the Far-Western region. Every year, production and productivity have increased due to improvements in farming methods and high-quality seeds,” Pandey explained.
Lately, the government has been providing farmers with improved varieties of seeds at a 50 percent subsidy. Apart from the use of improved seeds, agriculturalists attribute the increased production to the use of organic fertilizers, the availability of irrigation, government subsidies, and technical support.