Marsi paddy begins to ripen in Jumla as demand for its rice grows

Indigenous Marsi paddy in Jumla, Karnali Province, planted last Jestha, has begun to ripen, and the paddy fields are turning yellow. Other varieties of paddy have also turned the fields golden this season.

Demand for Marsi rice is growing at home and abroad, said Ram Bhakta Adhikari, chief of the Agriculture Development Office, Jumla. According to the office, paddy is cultivated on about 2,888 hectares in the district. Of this, about 1,068 hectares, or nearly 37 percent of the area, is planted with Jumli Marsi.

Conservation and promotion of Marsi paddy is a priority for the provincial government. Adhikari said the provincial Ministry of Agriculture has allocated about Rs 850,000 for organic farming and for the development and conservation of indigenous crops. He said the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project has also provided about Rs 800,000 for developing Marsi paddy blocks.