Rice production falls by 250,000 tonnes

By Ajay Shah, Mahottari, Oct. 12: Nepal’s rice production has declined by more than 250,000 metric tonnes in a year, adding to the challenge of achieving rice self-sufficiency as both the area under cultivation and productivity continue to decline.

Against this backdrop, research efforts have intensified to develop new rice varieties that offer higher yields, mature faster, and can withstand floods, droughts, and changing weather conditions.

The National Rice Research Programme, Hardinath, based in Sapahi, Dhanusha, under the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), has been developing, testing and recommending new rice varieties based on farmers’ needs and the climatic conditions of different geographical regions. 

However, researchers say the expected results have not been achieved due to inadequate promotion of recommended varieties and limited access to quality seeds.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, rice was cultivated on 1,376,872 hectares in Nepal in fiscal year 2025/26, producing 5,705,126 metric tonnes. In the previous fiscal year, rice production stood at 5,955,476 metric tonnes from 1,420,636 hectares.

Within a year, the area under rice cultivation decreased by 43,764 hectares, while production fell by 250,350 metric tonnes. Productivity also declined from 4.19 metric tonnes per hectare to 4.14 metric tonnes. Although Madhes Province is a major rice-producing region, production has been affected by a lack of irrigation, irregular monsoon rainfall, delayed transplantation, inadequate supplies of quality seeds and fertilisers, and limited use of modern technology.