The rising value of the US dollar has thrown a wrench in the export of chemical fertilisers
BARA, DECEMBER 29
Farmers in the Bara district are suffering from a serious scarcity of chemical fertilisers.
Local farmers are expressing concern over a lack of urea fertiliser for wheat, maize, vegetables, and other crops. According to local farmer Hari Khadka of Badharwa in Jitpursimara Sub Metropolitan City-18, if the situation persists and is not handled immediately, there is a chance of non-production and investment failure. "It is time to apply fertiliser to the cornfield, but none is available. Although fertilisers are available at the local Small Farmers Agriculture Cooperatives Ltd., the quantity is insufficient to meet everyone's needs "Khadka stated.
Similarly, another farmer, Mukesh Waiwa, stated that he only received 20 kg of urea fertiliser, which was insufficient to fertilize a portion of his land.
He is concerned that the expenditure of costly seeds, ploughing, and labour would be wasted due to a shortage of fertilisers.
The two state entities, the Agriculture Inputs Company Limited (AICL) and the Salt Trading Corporation, who are in charge of ensuring the proper and timely delivery of chemical fertilisers to farmers, have failed to provide adequate fertiliser in the district, claimed Vice-Chairperson of the local Sana Kisan Krishi Shakari Sansthan Ltd., Phul Kumari Basnet.
Thousands of farmers visit the cooperative every day to inquire if the fertilisers have come; however, the fertilisers arrive only sporadically and in quantities of 20-30 bags of 50 kgs, causing a distribution dilemma, she continued.
According to Sanjay Kumar Gupta, information officer at the Salt Trading Corporation, Birgunj, the provincial government has allotted the Bara district 5,596 metric tons of Urea, 3,263 metric tons of DAP, and 466 metric tons of Pottasium for the fiscal year 2078/79. Only 30% will be provided by the salt firm, with the remaining 70% distributed by an agricultural input company.
Every year, the government imports 700,000 metric tons of chemical fertilisers for the entire country; however, this year's rise in the value of the dollar has created a problem in importing an adequate amount of fertiliser, as the government had prepared its budget based on the previous rate of the dollar.
Similarly, Gupta stated that the scarcity of fertilisers is partly attributable to the farmers themselves. Farmers are excessively stockpiling fertilizer in anticipation of a scarcity during the growing season. Similarly, farmers who should be utilizing 2 kilogram per kattha are using more than 5 kg per kattha.
"It is the job of municipalities to educate farmers about the proper method of applying fertilizers, but a lack of such has been exacerbating the problem," he explained.
