Farmers Turn to Spring Paddy for Better Yields and Income

The cultivation of spring paddy—locally known as Chaite dhan—is gaining popularity each year in Bhajani Municipality and nearby areas of Kailali district.

Krishna Chaudhary, a farmer from Bhajani, has been growing spring paddy for the past five years. What began on just five katthas of land has now expanded to three bighas.

“Spring paddy requires more labor and irrigation, but it yields more than rain-fed paddy,” he said. “There’s also no problem with the market, so more farmers are showing interest.”

For many farmers in flood-prone areas like Bhajani, spring paddy has become a preferred alternative, especially since monsoon-season cultivation is often not possible. Bhajani is one of the most flood-affected regions in the district. With winter crops already harvested, many farmers have either completed or are still busy planting spring paddy.

“Due to heavy flooding in the rainy season, we can't farm then,” said Baldev Chaudhary. "Spring paddy has become our main crop. It provides enough for our own consumption and also supports other economic activities."

The Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Project has launched a spring paddy expansion program in Bhajani, focusing on wards 3 and 8. Project Chief Govindaraj Joshi said that growing interest among farmers has driven the program’s success. “We supported around 500 hectares last year, and this year the area has grown to about 500 hectares again,” he said.

The project also operates in Kailari and Joshipur Rural Municipalities and Ghodaghodi Municipality. Altogether, it has supported the cultivation of spring paddy in 1,000 hectares this year, providing seeds and agricultural equipment to farmers.

According to Tek Bahadur Bista, head of the Agriculture Knowledge Center, spring paddy is being cultivated in over 1,500 hectares this year—an increase of 300 hectares from last year. “Out of this, the Agriculture Knowledge Center has supported 250 hectares, with 80 percent concentrated in Bhajani,” he said.

Bista noted that spring paddy became a viable option for Bhajani's farmers after the 2063 BS flood caused over Rs 15 million in crop losses. “Spring paddy gives better yields, but irrigation remains a challenge,” he said. “Drawing underground water is costly, so we are planning to provide electricity subsidies and machinery to assist with irrigation, harvesting, and drying.”

While the Prime Minister’s Project and the Agriculture Knowledge Center are providing support, Bhajani Municipality has not allocated funds for spring paddy this fiscal year. Agriculture Branch Chief Sushovan Adhikari said the municipality avoided duplication of efforts. “We’ve provided technical assistance instead,” he noted. “Spring paddy now covers more than 1,000 hectares in Bhajani, and we continue to support farmers based on their needs.”

For the first time, the government has set a support price for spring paddy, responding to long-standing demands from farmers. “Earlier, we had to accept whatever price traders offered,” said farmer Kallu Dagaura. “Now that the government has fixed the price, more farmers have planted spring paddy this year.” The support price has been set at Rs 2,800.69 per quintal. -- RSS

The cultivation of spring paddy—locally known as Chaite dhan—is gaining popularity each year in Bhajani Municipality and nearby areas of Kailali district.

Krishna Chaudhary, a farmer from Bhajani, has been growing spring paddy for the past five years. What began on just five katthas of land has now expanded to three bighas.

“Spring paddy requires more labor and irrigation, but it yields more than rain-fed paddy,” he said. “There’s also no problem with the market, so more farmers are showing interest.”