The agriculture sector in Nepal has been drastically affected by prolonged and unseasonable rainfall in October and November, with total losses estimated to exceed Rs 3.55 billion, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
In Koshi Province alone, paddy crops were impacted by Rs 2.5 billion in damages and there was also an impact of Rs 40 million on vegetables. Prolonged rainfall in the third week of October damaged crops on 12,432 hectares of paddy fields and 200 hectares of vegetable production. The districts most hit in damages include Morang, Rs 781 million; Sunsari, Rs 453 million; and Jhapa, Rs 781 million.
Januka Pandit, spokesperson for the Ministry, confirmed the extent of the Ministry's assessments in detailed assessment of the October loss and collecting data for damage caused again by the rains in early November during the rice harvest time period.
For the country, the damage incurred to crops in the Madhesh Province were the most severe, at Rs 2.98 billion.
There were crops; paddy, sugarcane, and vegetables on 9,186 hectares submerged or destroyed. The Koshi Province recorded damage in the aggregate amount of Rs 342.4 million in vegetable production and Bagmati Province confirmed damages were Rs 124.6 million.
The Gandaki and Lumbini area reported little impact, and no significant damage was observed in Karnali or Sudurpaschim.
The dissection of losses indicates more than Rs 3 billion in crops alone, as well as Rs 149 million in livestock, Rs 45.9 million in agricultural infrastructure and Rs 279.4 million in seed stocks.
Pandit explained that the Agriculture Ministry only documents and reports damages, while National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and other government agencies report that relief and rehabilitation is outside the Ministry of Agriculture's hands.
Farmers in all impacted areas are calling for compensation as the financial distress mounts. A final, comprehensive report detailing October and November damage is anticipated within days.