Bangladesh, July 8 -- Nepal's paddy plantation season has entered a worrying phase. By the first week of July, farmers had planted rice on only 32.38 percent of the country's 1.37 million hectares of paddy fields. A year ago, plantation had already reached 45 percent. The gap is too large to dismiss as a temporary delay. Rice remains Nepal's most important staple crop, and any setback in plantation at the beginning of the season often affects harvest, food supply, rural income, and inflation later in the year.The provincial figures paint an equally mixed picture. Sudurpaschim leads with 57.9 percent plantation, followed by Gandaki and Karnali. Koshi has shown slight improvement over last year, but the country's biggest concern lies in Ma...