North - Mahmudabad County’s Agriculture Department in north of Iran has announced plans to plant crimson clover on 250 hectares of the region’s paddy fields.

 

Seyed Hossein Eslami, head of the department, said the fall-planted forage crop will be sown after the rice harvest, and that the initiative aims to improve soil fertility, boost forage production, and create employment opportunities for local villagers.

 

“This year, approximately 250 hectares of paddy fields are expected to be cultivated with crimson clover,” he noted.

 

So far, two tons of clover seeds have been distributed through the county’s Agriculture Department, enabling farmers to access the seeds they need, he said.

 

Eslami highlighted the multiple benefits of clover cultivation in paddy fields: enhancing soil fertility, increasing humus and organic matter, boosting nitrogen levels, and reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers.

 

He added that the crop provides fresh forage in three harvests, helps prevent seasonal unemployment among villagers, generates jobs, and increases agricultural income.