Paddy production increase sluggish

Kathmandu, June 28 (RSS): The 15th National Paddy Day is to be celebrated on June 29 (Asar 15) by organizing several activities across the country.
The Day is to be marked with main slogan of ‘Increment in paddy output; prosperity of nation’.
On the recommendation of National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), the government had decided to mark Asar 15 (June-end) as National Paddy Day in 2005. This year the government is organizing a programme to mark the Day at Dakshinkali of Kathmandu.
Paddy is the major crop of Nepal. Increment in paddy produce also increases Gross Domestic Product. Paddy has 12 percent contribution to GDP in Nepal while contribution of agriculture sector to GDP is 33 percent.
Annually, Nepal requires 6 million metric tonnes of paddy. According to the data received, Nepal’s current paddy output is 5.3 million metric tonnes. But this year the produce is likely to shrink to 4.2 million metric tonnes.
However, Joint Secretary at Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperative Shanker Sapkota shared that the government has set a goal to double the paddy produce in coming five years.
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