Analysis of factors and major problems of production of paddy farming in Sunsari district, Nepal

Despite all its potential for paddy farming, productivity in Sunsari is still below the productivity of nearby districts like Jhapa, Morang, and Udayapur having similar climatic conditions as Sunsari. So, this research was carried out in the month of MayJune in 2020 to identify the factors affecting paddy production and problems of paddy production in Sunsari district. Sunsari district was purposively selected due to the high potential of paddy production in the region. Total one hundred of farmer’s households were selected by simple random sampling and primary data was collected with the help of a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire by interview schedule and secondary data were collected from relevant journals. A multiple regression model was applied to identify the factors of paddy production. This study identified that paddy cultivated land with irrigation facility, the experience of farmers in the field of paddy farming (years), and use of modern rice varieties had a significant positive impact on paddy production in the study area. About 85% variation in paddy production was explained by the independent variable considered under the study. Indexing was applied to identify major problems of paddy production. This study revealed that lack of fertilizer in peak plantation time, lack of sufficient measure and knowledge for disease and pest management, lack of training about improved paddy farming practices, lack of government support in agricultural inputs, etc. were major constraints of paddy production in the study area. The irrigation facility should be further improved to bolster paddy production.