KANCHANPUR: Incessant rainfall this week caused a tremedous loss

of paddy crop in Kanchanpur district.

Since paddy plantation was done late this year, there was already the possibility of a poor harvest. Now, the

situation has worsened

after the six-day-long heavy rainfall swept away the crop while the rest rotted in the field due to flood.

According to Kanchanpur Agricultural Office, in the total arable 46, 655 hectares around 120,634 metric tonnes of paddy were produced in the district last year.

However, the yield was just 50 per cent of last year’s

due to late monsoon and flood, said experts.

The flood affected paddy planted in around thousands of bighas of land at Piladi,

Krishnapur, Shankerpur, Dekhatamuli, Rampuri, Bilasipur, Beldandi and Bhimdutta Municipality including other parts of the district. The fields are still flooded in many quarters of the district.

The yield of another important food crop, maize, also was 40 per cent of last year’s yield because of late rainfall. Farmers apprehend a food crisis in the district this year.