KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 21

Agricultural land in Karnali Province fell by 6.08 per cent in the last fiscal year compared to the previous one, according to a Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) study.

The area under major crops also declined: paddy by 5.11pc, maize by 4.16pc, wheat by 4.86pc, millet by 11.52pc, and barley by 1.39pc. Land used for vegetables and horticulture crops dropped by 14.91pc, while fruit-growing areas increased by 2.40pc.

Overall agricultural production in the province decreased by 5.1pc. Food and cash crop output fell by 3.95pc, with paddy production down 10.25pc, wheat 17.31pc, millet 22.92pc, and barley 8.55pc. Maize production, however, rose by 4.24pc. Vegetable and fruit production declined by 0.88pc and 36.41pc, respectively.

Agriculture-sector lending accounted for 8.02pc of total loans in the review period, a drop of 7.70pc year-on-year. Industrial loans also fell by 1.94pc, representing 6.50pc of total lending. Industries in the province recorded an average capacity utilisation of 46.52pc, with electric wire and cable industries operating at 90pc and carpet industries at just 23.08pc.

Tourist arrivals increased slightly by 1.72pc, though visitors from India and China decreased by 23.85pc and 25.77pc, respectively. Arrivals from third countries grew by 9.13pc.

Meanwhile, 85.47pc of the province's total loans were channelled into the service sector. Karnali now has 475 bank and financial institution branches and 18 branchless banking units, with a loan-to-deposit ratio of 66.85pc.

According to the Nepal Electricity Authority's Karnali office, transmission lines extended to 3,575.74 circuit kilometres in FY 2081/82. Progress has also accelerated on major national infrastructure projects, including the Pushpalal Highway, Karnali Corridor, Madan Bhandari Highway and the Bheri Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project.