Bagmati, Dec 22: Paddy production has seen a slight decline in Bagmati Province this year, with a decrease of 1.37 percent. The drop is attributed to the floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall on September 27-28, which affected agricultural activities in the region.

According to the Bagmati Province Agriculture Development Directorate, paddy was cultivated in 105,415 hectares of land this fiscal year, yielding a total of 408,316 metric tons. The average production rate stood at 3.87 metric tons per hectare, as reported by Nabin Kunwar, an agriculture economist at the Directorate.

In comparison, the previous fiscal year (2080/81 BS) saw paddy being planted across 109,151 hectares, with a total yield of 413,988 metric tons. However, Kunwar noted that certain districts in Bagmati Province have witnessed increased paddy production this year. Chitwan, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Nuwakot all reported higher yields compared to last year.

Chitwan, the largest paddy-producing area in Bagmati Province, contributed 98,355 metric tons of paddy this year. With 23,700 hectares of land under cultivation, the district achieved an impressive production rate of 4.15 metric tons per hectare.