This news reports on the Department of Livestock Services’ plan to compensate bird flu-affected farmers within a week and also mentions a significant decrease in paddy transplantation across the country compared to last year.
The Department of Livestock Services is preparing to release Rs 52 crore in compensation to farmers in 11 districts affected by bird flu. This amount is for the birds and other goods that were destroyed as part of the disease control efforts and will be given out within one week.
The Department aims to provide 75 percent relief to the owners for their destroyed birds, eggs, and feed. The compensation amount will be based on an assessment of the damage.
According to Mukul Upadhyay, spokesperson for the Department, the money will be paid into the bank accounts of the relevant owners within a week, once the damage to birds, poultry products, and related materials is verified and claims are made. Farmers who could not collect their compensation by the end of Ashar (last fiscal year month) will receive their payments in the new fiscal year.
The relief distribution to farmers will follow the evaluation of certified damage as per the Bird Flu Control Regulations. Spokesperson Upadhyay has urged farmers to submit their applications with all necessary proofs of destroyed birds and poultry products to their local District Livestock Services Office.
The districts most hit by bird flu infection include Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kavrepalanchok, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Mahottari, Bara, Chitwan, and Nawalparasi. The Department estimates that around 7 lakh birds, 11 lakh eggs, and 3 lakh kilograms of feed has been destroyed so far. The total economic loss is estimated to be about Rs 70 crore.
12.62% Decrease in Paddy Transplantation Compared to Last Year
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, paddy transplantation across Nepal this year has seen a decline of 12.62 percent compared to last year. While 45 percent of transplantation was completed last year, this year only 32.38 percent has been done.
Prakash Kumar Sanjel, Director General of Department of Agriculture, stated that as of Monday, 443,595 hectares of land nationwide has been transplanted. The total area suitable for transplantation is 1,370,062 hectares.
The Department reported the provincial transplantation rates: Sudurpaschim Province at 57.9 percent, Gandaki at 41 percent, Karnali at 40.5 percent, Lumbini at 37.3 percent, Bagmati at 33.2 percent, Koshi at 31.5 percent, and Madhesh Province at 15.6 percent.
Director General Sanjel mentioned that even though the monsoon wasn’t active on time due to climate change, leading to less transplantation, he expects improvement in planting once rain occurs in most parts of the country.
Despite the Terai region being ideal for paddy production and area, only 15.6 percent transplantation has taken place in Madhesh Province. This low rate is projected to cause a decrease in rice production. The Madhesh region contributes 70 percent to the total rice production, while hilly regions account for 30 percent.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
