BIRATNAGAR: The Commercial Agricultural Alliance (CAA), Biratnagar, has launched an agricultural investment and management programme to shift the current sustenance-based agriculture into commercial agriculture.

CAA general manager Ram Kumar Sharma said the programme has been launched in 11 districts in the eastern region to benefit farmers by ensuring their participation in economic development and poverty alleviation.

Sharma said the programme has been launched in Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, Jhapa, Terhathum, Dhankuta, Sunsari, Morang, Saptari, Siraha and Udaypur. The alliance is involved in investment and management in agriculture, market management, market information sharing and capacity building of partners and farmers. It plans to provide economic grants and technical assistance to farmers willing to pursue commercial farming.

The alliance is making investments in small collection centres, small markets, ropeways, suspension bridge, road maintenance, small cold storages, culverts,

swimming pools, drinking water in markets and small irrigation projects, Sharma said.

It is also investing in farming of high value crops like cabbage, cauliflower, mushroom, tomato, carrot, cardamom, ginger, tea, herbs, honey production, orange, mango, litchi, papaya and so on.

Sharma said incentives are being given for farming of onion, garlic, chillies, pumpkin, potato, amriso, silkworm and flowers. The alliance has also been supporting community farming, agriculture machinery, organic farming, agriculture processing plants, quality control and test production of crops.

Sharma said the alliance supports market research, technology development, trade fairs and

promotion, industrial network,

labeling, certification, quality marks, skill development and employment promotion.

The alliance was established three years ago with the help of ADB and Nepal government.

Meanwhile, production of paddy planted in August-September (Bhadaure dhan) in Parsa has decreased by 0.5 per cent compared to the previous year. Unfavourable climatic conditions and lack of irrigation facility led to the drop

in Bhadaure dhan production,

according to the District Agricultural Development Office, Parsa.

Assistant Technician at the office Suresh Prasad Chaursiya said 36,400 metric tonnes of paddy

was produced at the rate of four metric tonnes per hectare. “Of the total 56,000 hectares arable land, paddy was planted on 9,100 hectares this year.”

Meanwhile, the production of paddy planted in March-April (Chaite dhan) is satisfactory, the agriculture office said. Chaite dhan was planted 10,200 hectares and the yield increased by 4.5 per cent, Chaursiya said.

The office has estimated that production of seasonal paddy will fall because of delayed monsoon rains and erratic rainfall.