MPs draw govt’s attention, calling for adequate supply of fertiliser to farmers

KATHMANDU: Members of the House of Representatives have urged the government to make timely arrangements to ensure that farmers do not face a shortage of fertiliser during the planting season this year.

In the meeting of the Committee on Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources under the House of Representatives during the discussion on ‘easy and accessible supply of chemical fertiliser, current stock status and distribution system’, they stated that, as in previous years, farmers should not face a shortage of fertiliser under any pretext this year and emphasised that the process must be advanced in a timely manner.

Gyanendra Singh Mahata said that each year the government or relevant bodies should not only highlight the problem of fertiliser shortage but also identify concrete problems and find out their solutions.

Bashumaya Tamang said that even though Nepal is an agriculture-based country, instead of always relying on foreigners for fertiliser supply, priority should be given to advancing domestic production of organic fertiliser for a long-term solution to the fertiliser shortage.

Santosh Subba mentioned that questions still arise regarding investment and management in fertilizers, stating there is a need to move towards alternatives to chemical fertilisers.

KP Khanal said, “There should not be a shortage of fertiliser this year, and it should not be said every year that there is no adequate budget for the procurement of fertilisers. Farmers should not be made to suffer in one or the other pretext. If there is a budget shortfall for the purchase of fertiliser, the Agricultural Inputs Company Limited should inform the relevant Ministry of Agriculture in time and this problem should be resolved promptly.”

Committee members Laxmi Prasad Pokharel, Rajiv Khatri, Poonam Kumari Agrawal, Sujata Tamang, Sagar Dhakal and Prem Bahadur Bayak emphasised that there should be no shortage of fertiliser this year.

Committee chairman Ashok Kumar Chaudhary instructed the Agricultural Inputs Company Limited to immediately advance the procurement process for essential fertiliser so that farmers can get sufficient fertiliser by the 15th of Ashad, well before the peak paddy planting season.