No rain means no rice in Madhesh

Monsoon failure, cracked soil, and wilting crops raise fears of sharp production declines.

Ali Shekh, a farmer from Pipariya in ward 2 of Kabilasi Municipality in Sarlahi, usually cultivates paddy on four bigha (2.21 hectares) of land. His harvest not only feeds his family but also yields around 150 quintals for sale each year.