---
title: "Sowing, harvesting time and delta of hill crops"
subject: "Irrigation and Drainage Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering:hill-crops-sowing-delta"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/hill-crops-sowing-delta
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Sowing, harvesting time and delta of hill crops

Irrigation and Drainage Engineering · Chapter 1: Introduction

- Asked in: 2069 Bhadra, 5 marks
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/hill-crops-sowing-delta
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

Write down sowing time, harvesting time and average delta of five principal crops of hills of Nepal.

## Short answer

Paddy: sown Jun-Jul, harvested Oct-Nov, delta 120-140 cm. Maize: Mar-Apr/Jun, harvested Aug-Sep, delta 50-60 cm. Wheat: Nov-Dec, harvested Apr-May, delta 35-45 cm. Potato: Jan-Feb, harvested May-Jun, delta 45-50 cm. Millet: Jun-Jul, harvested Oct-Nov, delta 30-40 cm.

## Answer

The values below are typical for the mid-hills of Nepal (approximate; they vary with altitude, variety and soil, and textbook tables may differ slightly).

| Crop | Sowing time | Harvesting time | Average delta (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddy (rice) | Jun-Jul (transplanting) | Oct-Nov | 120-140 |
| Maize | Mar-Apr (spring) / Jun | Aug-Sep | 50-60 |
| Wheat | Nov-Dec | Apr-May | 35-45 |
| Potato | Jan-Feb (spring) | May-Jun | 45-50 |
| Millet | Jun-Jul | Oct-Nov | 30-40 |

Notes
- Paddy needs standing water and has the highest delta.
- Wheat, a winter crop, is grown mostly with rainfall and a few irrigations.
- Delta is the total depth of water a crop needs over its base period, including rainfall contribution if not subtracted.
- Base periods are about 120-150 days for paddy, 100-120 days for maize and 120-140 days for wheat.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which of the hill crops has the highest delta?
   A. Wheat
   B. Maize
   C. Paddy (120-140 cm)
   D. Millet
   Answer: C. Paddy needs standing water. (Key point: Highest delta)

2. Wheat in the hills is sown in:
   A. Jun-Jul and harvested Oct-Nov
   B. Mar-Apr and harvested Aug-Sep
   C. Jan-Feb and harvested May-Jun
   D. Nov-Dec and harvested Apr-May
   Answer: D. Wheat is a winter crop. (Key point: Wheat season)

3. Delta is:
   A. Total depth of water a crop needs over its base period
   B. Area irrigated per cumec
   C. Time between two waterings
   D. Rate of infiltration
   Answer: A. It is expressed in depth units. (Key point: Definition of delta)

4. Paddy in the mid-hills is transplanted in:
   A. Nov-Dec
   B. Jun-Jul and harvested Oct-Nov
   C. Jan-Feb
   D. Mar-Apr only
   Answer: B. Rice is a monsoon crop. (Key point: Paddy sowing)

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