Weak monsoon hits summer crops Paddy, maize output may drop

SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, AUG 21 -
Poor monsoon and a shortage of chemical fertilisers this season may result in a 10-15 percent drop in paddy and maize output, raising the risk of a food crisis and price hikes.
Based on preliminary estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD), rice and corn production is expected to drop by around 1 million tonnes this season, against the output recorded in the corresponding period last year.

Nepal to sign farm commercialization pact with 5 countries

PRABHAKAR GHIMIRE KATHMANDU, Aug 16: Nepal is to sign new agreements with two countries and renew its existing agreement with three others including China and India to enchance supply capacity of agricultural product by commercializing the sector.

84 percent paddy transplantation so far

KATHMANDU, AUG 13 -
SANGAM PRASAIN
Paddy transplantation has been done on only 84 percent of the total paddy fields as of August 10 compared to 100 percent last year, thanks to poor monsoon.
Given most of the farming dependent on monsoon rains, poor rainfall coupled with chemical fertiliser shortage is likely to cut paddy production notably this year.
After good monsoon for the last two years, rainfall remained poor this year.
Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture Development hoped that the transplantation would spill over until mid-August in some regions, with forecast of some late August rainfalls.
However, transplantation across the country is expected to remain below 93 percent this season, which agro economists said is a huge loss for the country’s agriculture sector.
As on August 10, the transplantation has been done on 1.28 million hectares of land against 1.53 million hectares in the corresponding period last year, a drop of 19.61 percent. “Definitely, our paddy production will be affected this year,” said Krishna Prasad Pant, senior agro economist at the Department of Agriculture.
This year, the country’s agriculture sector suffered two major setbacks — acute chemical fertiliser shortage and late monsoon. Pant said the drop in plantation means production will go down. Besides, the unavailability of chemical fertilisers, a vital farm input, will also play a key role in reducing productivity.
Ministry statistics show paddy transplantation on hills and mountain regions stood at 90 percent and 86 percent, respectively compared to 100 percent a year ago. Paddy is cultivated on 356,222 hectares in hills and 58,863 hectares in mountain region.
The plantation period in the hill and mountain regions has already been over, while plantation will continue for some three-four days in some places in Tarai, the ministry officials said. The Tarai region, which constitutes of over 71 percent (865,234 hectare) paddy fields, has 81 percent transplantation rate.
In terms of development regions, transplantation in the mid- and far-western regions has been done on 98 percent land. The far western region has recorded 96 percent
transplantation. The eastern and central regions have the most disappointing results. Paddy transplantation in these two regions has been completed on only 75 percent and 74 percent of the total
paddy fields.
According to the ministry statistics, transplantation in Saptari, Mohattari, Siraha and Dhanusha and has been done on 35 percent, 40 percent, 45 percent and 47 percent of the land, respectively. In these districts, paddy is cultivated on 60,000, 34,776, 61,000 and 65,000 hectares of land, respectively.
“Rainfall has been extremely low in most of the Tarai districts resulting in a low progress in paddy transplantation,” said Hemraj Regmi, a senior statistician at the ministry. According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, these four Tarai districts suffered a drought this monsoon.
However, paddy cultivation in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari progressed faster. Paddy transplantation in these districts has been done on 90 percent, 95 percent and 80 percent of the total fields. The figures were at 75 percent, 60 percent and 50 percent, respectively, last week.
Posted on: 2012-08-13 09:11
Source: http://kantipuronline.com/2012/08/13/business/84-percent-paddy-transplantation-so-far/358696.html

Farmers minting money from red hot chilli

PALPA, AUG 12 -
Madhav Aryal
Chilli has become one of the most lucrative cash crops in Chidipani VDC of Palpa district.
Last year alone, local farmers earned more than Rs 10 million selling chillies. There are about a dozen households each selling chillies worth Rs 300,000 every year.
Farmers associated with the Bhanjyang Pokhari Agriculture Cooperative have been involved in chilli farming for the last three years. “As the income from chilli farming is better compared to other crops, almost all farmers are now associated with it,” said Dev Bahadur Kunwar Magar, a local farmer, adding that it was difficult to start, but everyone got attracted latter.

Food security scheme to be applied in Mid-, Far-West

 

KATHMANDU, AUG 11 -
The government plans to implement the Nepal Food and Agriculture Security Enhancement Programme in 11 districts of the Mid-Western and Far Western regions this year in a bid to improve the food security situation.
According to Nathu Prasad Chaudhary, secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Development, the government has received US$ 46.5 million from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) under its GAFSP Trust Fund. The programme, which will run for five-six years, was awarded to Nepal in June 2011 on a competitive basis.

Nepal's female farmers need research and technology aimed at them

Women work at a paddy field at the village of Bamundangi, eastern Nepal. Photograph: Dipendu Dutta/AFP/Getty

Friday 10 August 2012

Researchers must take greater account of the needs of women, who are increasingly at the forefront of agriculture

Most of Nepal's agriculture is undertaken by women, but research tailored to their needs is lacking. "We need new technologies that can reduce the drudgery for them," said Devendra Gauchan, agricultural economist and chief of the socioeconomics and agri-research policy division at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (Narc).

Dedicate at least one district for organic farming: NOF

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, Aug 11: Nepal Organic Foundation (NOF) has called on the government to dedicate at least one district for organic farming, citing such agricultural technique improves soil quality, while generating products that are not hazardous to health.

The call was made at a time when the country is facing acute shortage of chemical fertilizers, which has seriously affected plantation of various kinds of crops throughout the country.

“Since fertilizers and pesticides used in organic farming can be generated locally using inexpensive common things like food and human waste, livestock manure and urine, and ashes, it is high time the government promoted organic farming in the country,” Deepak Prakash Baskota, president of Nepal Organic Foundation, told a workshop on ´Current Agricultural Practices and Prospects of Organic Farming for Sustainable Agricultural Development´ organized jointly by World Neighbors and Asia Media Forum in Kathmandu on Friday.

Baskota also suggested that the government take the initiative to launch a pilot project on organic farming in at least one district of the country and extend required subsidy to farmers who wish to migrate to organic farming.

Acknowledging the benefits of organic farming, the government last fiscal year started subsidizing fertilizers for organic farming by allocating Rs 100 million for internal purchase of organic fertilizers. But the amount fades in front of Rs 3.06 billion in subsidy extended to purchase chemical fertilizers in that year.

“Is this allocation of budget sufficient if the government truly wants to promote organic farming in the country,” questioned Puran Bista, president of Asia Media Forum.

The country imported 153,000 tons of chemical fertilizers in the last fiscal year ended July 15, up from 43,000 tons in previous fiscal year. The imported fertilizer, however, fell short of the national demand which stands at 800,000 tons.

If the country were to extend subsidy on the total amount of fertilizers that the country needs, the government will have to fork out Rs 15 billion every year, Baskota said, questioning whether the country can afford such a huge cost. “This makes the case for the need to immediately promote organic farming even stronger.”

In addition to this cost, chemical fertilizers and pesticides that are laced with toxic components pose serious threat to human health and environment due to which the country´s spending on healthcare and environment protection is said to be soaring.

Although Nepal so far has not conducted a detailed survey on impacts of use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides, it is said farmers often use more pesticides than needed to protect agricultural products.

“This practice is even followed by farmers who have undergone training, while lack of a body to monitor these activities is making the situation worse,” Bista said. “Worse, there are instances of importing low-grade and banned pesticides into the country through porous Nepal-India border.”

However, Shambhu Khatiwoda of Nepal Agricultural Research Council said many farmers may not be able to immediately migrate to organic farming as use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has raised agricultural productivity.

“A hectare of field can now grow around three tons of paddy these days as against two tons around two decades ago,” he said. “Besides, improved and hybrid seedlings that are being widely used these days require chemical fertilizers.”
Source: http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=39547

Tillers of the land

AUG 08 -
Land reform is a life or death issue for millions of people, but the outcome depends on the political will of governments to sincerely implement a genuine land reform agenda. Nepal and Japan started the land reform debate at the same time around 1945. But in Japan, land reform was successful within four years, due to which it became an industrialised nation.

Double Whammy

AUG 08 -
The country’s dependence on the monsoon rains in determining its agricultural output is a perennial problem. In 2011-12, early monsoons and consistent rain throughout the season resulted in an all-time high food grain production of over 9.45 million tonnes.  But this year’s picture looks glum. A severe drought combined with an acute shortage of chemical fertiliser has meant that Nepal’s production of food grains is estimated to be down at least 10 percent this year. The findings come in the wake of a 2012 global rice forecast published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. The double blow suffered by Nepali farmers is a result of the government’s negligence in agriculture and the reliance on the monsoon rains.