Kathmandu, January 3 Paddy production, which had increased for the last three consecutive years, has fallen by 1.05 per cent to 5.55 million metric tonnes in the current fiscal year. As per the paddy output statistics released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) today, production of the cereal crop stood at 5.55 million metric tonnes this year against the record high production of 5.61 million metric tonnes last year. Issuing a press statement, MoALD has cited the reason for the slight drop in production of paddy to delay in plantation of the crop, delayed monsoon, armyworms infestation, among others. The drop in paddy production, however, has largely been attributed to supply of faulty Garima brand paddy that did not yield rice grains across the country, including in Chitwan, Rautahat, Nawalparasi, Nuwakot, Lamjung, Gorkha and Tanahun districts. The Garima brand paddy was planted across 1,500 hectares of land, affecting production of almost 8,500 tonnes of paddy. Compared to the last fiscal year, paddy production has dropped in Province 2, Province 3, Gandaki Province and Lumbini Province, while the output of the cereal crop has increased slightly in other provinces. Paddy production has increased by 0.6 per cent each in Province 1 and Karnali Province to 1.24 million tonnes and 134,407 metric tonnes, respectively. Similarly, paddy output has increased by 6.7 per cent compared to last year’s production in Sudurpaschim Province to 646,059 metric tonnes. However, production of the crop this year dropped by five per cent to 1.42 million tonnes in Province 2; 2.2 per cent to 510,210 metric tonnes in Province 3; 4.4 per cent to 408,737 tonnes in Gandaki Province and 0.3 per cent to 1.18 million tonnes in Lumbini Province, as per MoALD. Comparative figures Provinces Last Fiscal This fiscal Province 1 1,237,952 1,245,545 Province 2 1,495,044 1,420,436 Province 3 521,446 510,201 Gandaki 427,689 408,737 Lumbini 1,188,675 1,185,493 Karnali 133,579 134,407 Sudurpaschim 605,626 646,059 Total 5,610,011 5,550,878 Figures in metric tonnes; Source: MoALD The country had produced record paddy output of 5.61 million tonnes in fiscal 2018-19 and the government had projected the output of paddy to be close to six million tonnes this fiscal. Production of the cereal crop started increasing in 2017-18, when paddy output was recorded at 5.15 million tonnes. Meanwhile, productivity of the crop has increased this fiscal year despite the fall in output. As per MoALD, paddy productivity this year has been recorded at 3,804 kilograms per hectare against 3,760 kilograms per hectare of last year.