Agriculture: Farmers in Trashiyangtse are unable to harvest their paddy due to continuous light showers in the last few days. The paddy are ready for harvest and the people are waiting for a dry sunny day.

Some people have already started harvesting paddy but had to stop due to the rain. The mornings are damp and rains usually follow in the afternoons.

Tshewang Dorji, 47, from Rabti under Yangtse gewog cultivated paddy on around more than a langdo above Chorten Kora. A langdo is an area of land a pair of oxen can plough in a day. He said he continued harvesting despite frequent rains. “I covered the paddy when it rained and continued to harvest once the rain stopped,” he said.

Tshewang Dorji said he had to rush his harvest this year as he fears another natural disaster. Hailstone destroyed his paddy last year. “I could finish harvesting only in two days. It could’ve been harvested in a day,” he said.

He said he would dry the harvested paddy once before storing. “It’s all wet and it might get spoilt otherwise,” he said. But he is happy with the yield this year.

Sherub Tshomo, 33, from Bechen in Yangtse gewog said her paddy, which she cultivates on around two langdos, are ripe for harvest.

“I still have not been able to harvest my paddy and the grains could fall if it is harvested late,” she said.

She also cultivates millet on around two langdos. It remains unharvested. Usually, the harvest of millet is already completed by this time of the year.

Mani Gyeltshen, who is in his 50s, from Ngalimang village in Bumdeling gewog said he had asked his neighbours for labour support to harvest his paddy on October 8 but had to cancel the effort after it rained. “I fear some other calamities before I can harvest the paddy,” he said.

Pema Lhamo, 34, from Ngalimang village is also waiting to complete harvesting her paddy. With some 18 workers, she harvested more than half her paddy crop, and is waiting for the weather to improve so that she can complete it.

“People are continuing with their harvests but they usually have to stop in the afternoon as it rains,” Pema Lhamo said. She added that it also becomes a prolonged burden for the people, as they have to continue guarding fields. Some houses remain vacant in the nights as the people are out in the fields. Farmers said wild animals like wild boar, deer and porcupines continue to destroy paddy.

It is the peak season for the paddy harvest in Trashiyangtse.

Nima Wangdi | Tashiyangtse

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