Ministry to revise guidelines for chemical fertilizer distribution

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development is set to revise the guidelines to address the issues in the distribution of chemical fertilizers.

The revision comes in response to problems arising in the import and distribution of fertilizers as per the Subsidized Fertilizer Distribution Management Directive, 2077.

A committee has been formed under the coordination of Ram Krishna Shrestha, the Joint Secretary and Head of the Agriculture Development Division, to draft the amendments.

Shrestha informed that the committee aims to finalize the draft by the end of Ashadh and implement it from Shrawan after approval.

The draft is being prepared in a way that the central government will manage the import of fertilizers, while the provincial and local governments will handle the distribution.

This change is intended to streamline the process and address existing challenges.

Additionally, the ministry has indicated efforts to amend the Public Procurement Act, which governs the purchase and import of fertilizers, due to the infrastructural issues that have been complicating procurement under the current legislation.