National Paddy Day today
The National Paddy Day is being observed in the country by organising various programmes Friday.
The monsoon season is known as the paddy plantation season in Nepal where more than 80 percent of the population relies on subsistence farming. Keeping this in mind, the government had decided to mark Asadh 15 (June 29) as the National Paddy Day from last year onwards.
In Kathmandu valley the day was celebrated by organising dance and song performances including other cultural programmes that reflect the distinct lifestyle of the valley’s farming community.
The valley’s farming community also celebrates this day by eating dahi and chiura (curd and beaten rice).
As the monsoon is in its full bloom, farmers in the valley are very busy planting paddies in the fields.
Experts have predicted that the rainfall during this monsoon would be normal. Paddy planting has also reached near completion in Terai plains and hilly districts.
Asadh 15 is the only day celebrated in the name of a major agricultural harvest.
According to latest statistics, paddies are grown in 15,49,447 hectares of land in Nepal, producing close to 4.3 million metric tons of paddies each year. nepalnews.com ag June 29 07
