Key Takeaways:

• Oxen ploughing fields rapidly disappearing in Banke
• 70% of paddy transplantation completed this season
• Banke has 55,826 ha cultivable land; 33,780 ha for paddy
• Over 20,268 ha already planted with rice this year

KATHMANDU, JULY 22 The familiar sight of oxen ploughing muddy paddy fields is rapidly disappearing from Banke, where tractors and power tillers have become the preferred tools for land preparation during the rice planting season. Farmers across the district say agricultural mechanisation has transformed traditional farming practices, reducing dependence on draft animals and helping complete cultivation work more quickly and efficiently. In Janaki Rural Municipality-3, farmer Sundar Khatik said he has been using tractors to prepare his fields for years and continues to do so this season. Cultivating two bighas of leased land, he said tractor operators charge between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 per hour. 'Most farmers no longer keep oxen or buffaloes for ploughing. Tractors and power tillers have become the main option,' he said, adding that rising expenses for fertiliser, labour and machinery have steadily increased the cost of paddy cultivation. According to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, mechanisation has expanded significantly in recent years as farmers move away from traditional farming methods. Centre chief Binod Ghimire said the use of agricultural machinery has increased with local governments distributing equipment such as hand tractors and power tillers to farmers. 'Farmers have largely stopped rearing oxen and buffaloes for ploughing, leading to rapid mechanisation of agriculture,' Ghimire said. The district has already completed around 70 per cent of this year's paddy transplantation, with most irrigated areas finishing plantation while rain-fed areas continue the process. Agriculture Extension Officer Sujita Sharma said about 180 agricultural machines, including power tillers and threshers, have been distributed in the district under subsidy programmes since the establishment of the provincial government. Most of the equipment was provided with a 50 per cent subsidy. Banke has 55,826 hectares of cultivable land, of which 33,780 hectares are used for paddy farming. More than 20,268 hectares have already been planted with rice this season, according to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre. (With inputs from RSS)