Incessant rains, landslides and inundation since Thursday night have caused a loss of 6 billion in agriculture and livestock sector. Floods and inundation have caused damage of 5.83 billion in paddy fields, vegetables, cardamom, sugarcane, fish ponds, livestock, cold stores, cattle sheds, etc.

This is the preliminary data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development on Tuesday. The ministry said that the details of the damage may change.

According to the details of the ministry, only 3 billion 50 million rupees have been damaged in the paddy field. The flood has damaged 58,476 hectares of paddy fields. Paddy crops in Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Nawalpur, Baglung, Khotang, Jhapa, Kailali have been affected. Similarly, damage has been done in Lamjung, Parbat, Kaski, Syangja, Sindhuli, Makwanpur, Kavre.

According to the ministry, 98.5 percent (13 lakh 78 thousand 611 hectares) of the area to be planted with rice was planted in the current financial year. It was expected that the production would increase as the planting was encouraging compared to last year. According to Mahanand Joshi, information officer of the ministry, about one and a half million tons of rice is produced in the affected area. One and a half million tons of rice is a lot. If 58 and a half thousand hectares of rice is completely damaged, the nation will suffer a lot. The present data is preliminary from the province, we are confirming it further,' he said, 'while confirming, the size of the damage may increase or decrease.'

According to government data, the contribution of the agricultural sector to the gross domestic product is 24 percent. Rice alone contributes about 5 percent to the total domestic production. About 62 percent of the families' main occupation is agriculture. Ramakrishna Regmi, senior statistics officer of the ministry, said that the flood had damaged most of Bagmati province. According to him, the national contribution of paddy produced in Terai is 72 percent. The production of hilly areas is relatively less.

'The highest contribution is from Terai, 72 percent of which has been damaged, it has not been ascertained. At present, it seems that the hilly areas are most affected," Regmi said. "If the Morang area is affected through Kailali, Bardia, Banke, it will reduce the paddy production. Looking at it initially, it will not have that much impact nationally. Similarly, 13,000 hectares of cardamom have been destroyed in Khotang. Due to this, the farmers have suffered a loss of 70 crores. In Parsa, 85 hectares of sugarcane cultivation has been destroyed. According to the ministry, farmers have suffered a loss of 34 crores.

In Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat and Bara fishponds have been damaged in 458 hectares. Due to this, the farmers have suffered a loss of 1.13 billion. Similarly, 24 cattle herds were damaged in Panchthar, Dhankuta, Tehrathum. According to the ministry, 22 hectares of fruit orchards were damaged in Kaski, Nawalparasi East, Kanchanpur and Rautahat. 2743 hectares of vegetable crops have been destroyed in Khotang, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Bara and Parsa. 2 cold stores have been damaged. Apart from these, the physical and other structures of the ministry and subordinate offices have been damaged to the tune of 160 million. In terms of providing relief to farmers, the central government and the provinces are preparing together. We are also discussing," Information Officer Joshi said, "We have also discussed the issue of relief with the development partnership organization."

How much damage is there?

– 58,476 hectares of paddy fields were destroyed and 3 billion 50 million in damage