Kailali Farmers Concerned About Crop Loss Due to Unexpected Rain and Wind During Paddy Harvest

Tikapur: Farmers in the Kailali region are grappling with growing apprehension as they endeavor to harvest their paddy crop amidst untimely rain accompanied by strong windstorms. This sudden turn of weather has raised fears of potential crop losses among farmers diligently working to bring in their ripe paddy.

Nirmal B.K, a resident of Tikapur, had diligently prepared to thresh his paddy when he received distressing news of impending rain. However, faced with the unavailability of a tractor to expedite the process, the dry paddy was left exposed to the elements in the fields. Describing his ordeal, he lamented, "I waited by the road for the tractor that never arrived, and the rice could not be safely transported to my home. The gusty winds only worsened matters, scattering the rice across the field. If further rain ensues, the risk of rice rotting in the fields looms large."

Another farmer, Padam Oli, had already cut and hung his ripe paddy in the field to protect it from rain. Unfortunately, Monday's relentless downpours and fierce winds caused significant damage to his paddy crop. He expressed his concerns, stating, "Yesterday's combination of rain and wind took a toll on the paddy. Any additional rainfall could lead to extensive damage."

The untimely rains have plagued Kailali's farmers for the past three years, disrupting their paddy harvest. While some farmers have managed to harvest, the majority still have crops waiting to be gathered. The untimely rain has been met with dissatisfaction from local agricultural communities.

Hari Chaudhary, a farmer from Tikapur-5, recounted past losses, saying, "In 2078, heavy rains washed away three bighas of paddy crops. Last year, we salvaged only half. This year, we postponed our harvest based on weather forecasts, but rain accompanied by wind has already resulted in substantial losses."

Parvati Choudhary, another affected farmer, described how the harvested paddy got wet during transport due to the abrupt rain. "As the weather started to shift, we hurriedly attempted to transport the harvested paddy, but we couldn't complete the task," she explained. "We managed to move only half of it, while the remaining paddy was exposed to the elements."

Bipin Chaudhury, a farmer from Tikapur-4, informed that farmers had resorted to piling harvested paddy in the fields. "Farmers have been under constant stress all day, with most of them storing the harvested rice outdoors," he reported. "Now, with the rice stored in this manner, there is a need to reopen and dry it, increasing the workload for farmers and risking further crop damage."

In response to the ongoing weather challenges, agricultural experts have advised farmers to delay paddy harvesting for a few days due to the expected continuation of rainy conditions. Notices have been issued by Tikapur Municipality and Janaki Rural Municipality, cautioning farmers against cutting their crops prematurely