KATHMANDU, JANUARY 14 The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) has started importing fertilisers targeting the plantation season for next year. According to the ministry, the stock of fertilisers for Chaite Dhan is enough at the moment. Currently, the country has around 61,000 tonnes of fertilisers in stock, which is enough for the Chaite paddy. As per the ministry, Salt Trading Corporation (STC) at present has 46,000 tonnes of fertilisers in stock while Agriculture Inputs Company Ltd (AICL) has 15,000 tonnes. Meanwhile, 20,000 tonnes of fertilisers ordered by STC will be arriving soon. The ministry has informed that besides the 20,000 tonnes that is on the way, another 20,000 tonnes of fertilisers will arrive in Nepal within one month. Meanwhile, AICL has also announced a tender to import around 15,000 tonnes of fertilisers by the next month. “Currently, we have around 60,000 tonnes of fertilisers in stock while around 100,000 tonnes of fertilisers are on the way. Thus, we have enough stock for Chaite Dhan plantation this year and will have enough for paddy plantation next year too,” said MoALD Secretary Yogendra Kumar Karki. He further claimed that the government has learned a lesson from the previous years, thus for the next plantation season the government is preparing well in advance. Karki also informed that the fertilisers purchased from Bangladesh will arrive in Nepal by mid-February. “Fertilisers imported from Bangladesh will be useful for Chaite Dhan plantation this year,” he said, adding, “For the paddy next year fertilisers will arrive by April,” he said. “Next year, farmers will not have to suffer due to lack of fertilisers,” he stated. He also said that as the ministry is working with local levels to distribute fertilisers as per the need of the particular area, there won’t be shortage of fertilisers next year. The ministry is collecting reports from the local governments regarding the need of fertilisers based on the area of plantation and based on those references it will distribute fertilisers, Karki added.