KATHMANDU, June 30: The National Paddy Day is being observed today across the country.
It is celebrated annually on Asadha 15 as per the Nepali calendar. It holds a great significance for the common people since the national economy is dominated by agriculture. Asadha 15 marks the beginning of paddy plantation in monsoon season in Nepal.
Farmers say that Paddy Day is losing its charm in recent years due to multiple factors.
"With the sharp decline in paddy production, Paddy Day has gradually been losing its charm among the folks in recent years," Devnath Ghimire, a farmer from Champi, Lalitpur told Republica Online on Sunday. Paddy is one of the major products in Ghimire's locality.
IN PICTURES: National Paddy Day being observed
Another factor behind the decline in the paddy production is rapid urbanization and haphazard construction of housing, according to Ghimire.
"We have been losing fertile land due to rapid urbanization and haphazard settlements. Hence, the paddy production has also decreased massively," he observed.
Acute shortage of manpower has also led to diminishing the paddy production in the Champi area. "Labor costs have soared as demand is growing for their skills," Ghimire said.
