Paddy production in Nepal has declined this year, according to preliminary estimates released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development for fiscal year 2025/26. The ministry reported reductions in cultivated area, total output, and productivity. Paddy cultivation now covers 1,376,872 hectares, down 3.8 percent from last year’s 1,420,636 hectares. Total production is estimated at 5.71 million metric tons, a 4.2 percent decrease from last year’s 5.96 million metric tons. Productivity per hectare has also declined by 1.16 percent to 4.14 metric tons. Paddy contributes nearly 12 percent of agricultural GDP, while agriculture accounts for about 24.16 percent of Nepal’s overall GDP.
