KATHMANDU: Farmers in Madi Municipality, Chitwan, are facing significant distress after a new variety of rice they planted failed to produce grain. The issue has affected crops in wards 5, 6, and 7, where farmers had sown the ‘BioSeed 301’ variety purchased from local agrovets.

Farmer Govinda Bhandari, who had high expectations for the new variety, reported that his fields are filled only with empty husks. “We planted this new variety hoping for a good harvest, but it has been a disaster. When harvesting, there were only empty stalks with no grain,” he said. Another farmer, Sabitri Chapagain, shared a similar experience after cultivating 16 kaththas of land. “After planting, the plants turned red, then died without forming grains. We have been ruined. We didn’t even get enough to eat or straw for livestock,” she said.

Suresh Sinkhada, head of the agriculture branch at Madi Municipality, stated that the crops suffered from diseases such as blast and brown spot. Field inspections confirmed widespread cases of neck blast, brown spot, and sheath blight. According to the branch, approximately 3,000 kg of this seed variety was distributed in the area, covering nearly 100 hectares. Although the seed is registered to mature in 129 days, crops planted in mid-July failed to produce grains by the end of October, raising serious concerns regarding seed quality.

Jhalaknath Kandel, chief of the Agriculture Development Office in Chitwan, confirmed that an investigation is underway. Authorities are tracing the source of the seeds and engaging with company representatives to address the losses. The agriculture branch is currently collecting data on the damage suffered by farmers. Officials have advised farmers to consult with agricultural technicians rather than relying solely on advice from vendors when selecting seeds in the future.