The Tarai is the granary of Nepal. Although it constitutes only about 14 percent of the total area of Nepal, it accounts for 42 percent of the total cultivated land of the country. The elevation of Tarai ranges from 60 m to 330 m. The climate is subtropical. The Tarai is an extension of the Gangetic plain and forms alluvial deposits along the border with India.
Rice occupies more than a million ha of land in summer, mostly under rainfed conditions.
Wheat is grown in winter with partial irrigation. A single crop of rice is taken in depressional areas. Rice-vegetable is becoming an important pattern with the increased road network in the rural areas. Ninety-six percent of the country's sugarcane area lies in the Tarai, and potato, coriander and rapeseed are generally intercropped. Common fruits grown in the Tarai are mango, guava, banana and jackfruit.