Hetauda, June 29

Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City observed the 15th National Paddy Day by planting rice saplings at Newarpani in Makawanpur today.

At a programme organised to mark the day, Province 3 Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative Minister Dawa Dorje Lama stressed on modernising agriculture. He said food production could not be increased if farmers continued to depend on traditional methods of farming.

Of the 41,338 hectares cultivable land in the district, rice is planted in 11,200 hectares. “A total of 51,209 tonnes rice was produced in the district last year,” said Senior Agriculture Development Officer Nirmal Gadal.