Jaleshwor, July 31: Inadequate monsoon rains this season in Mahottari has adversely affected the rice transplantation. So far, the district in the Madhesh Province reports just 40 percent of the rice cultivation. Agriculture Knowledge Centre Mahottari Chief Dr Ramchandra Yadav said the lack of sufficient rains has led to the less cultivation of rice. Farmers here have resorted to using shallow tube wells, deep tube wells, and pumping motors to irrigate their rice plantations. They have hardly managed to cultivate 40 percent of the land.

Mahottari has 45,000 hectares of land suitable for rice cultivation and by the end of July, paddy has been planted in just 40 percent of arable land. The rice nursery plants have begun to drying due to the insufficient rainfall. Paddy fields. Rice seedlings have also withered within the fields. The nursery plants of the rice have started drying in absence of sufficient rains, said farmer Bipendra Pandey of Jaleshwor municipality-8. The paddy fields have developed cracks due to dryness. The situation is similar in neighboring areas, such as Ekdara rural municipality-4, where Upendra Yadav shares a comparable story.

Pramod Mandal of Ramgopalpur municipality-5 said rice transplantation this time gets delayed due to the lack of adequate rains. The Center anticipates a drop in rice production in the district this year. (RSS)