KATHMANDU, JUNE 11
Farmers in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta Paschim) district are increasingly anxious about their inability to procure fertilizer in line with their needs.
With the paddy plantation season approaching alongside the monsoon, local farmers fear a significant decline in crop yields due to insufficient access to fertilizers.
Gyaneshwor Sahani, a farmer from Palhinandan Rural Municipality-4, expressed concern that a shortage of fertilizer would likely result in a poor harvest. "Farmers are once again facing a shortage of fertilizer this year," he said, lamenting that their repeated complaints have gone unheard by the government.
According to Janatri Yadav, the fertilizer shortfall has become a recurring issue. "Farmers are being forced to purchase fertilizer from India at exorbitant prices," he noted.
Like Yadav, many farmers are uncertain about continuing cultivation without adequate fertilizer. "The paddy cultivation season has already begun. It's crucial to ensure the timely availability of fertilizers and pesticides before planting begins," he said. "But we still haven't received enough."
The shortage stems from delays in the procurement and distribution processes, according to the Agriculture Inputs Company in the district. The agency cited that some cooperatives affiliated with the Company have yet to receive their allocated supply.
There are 80 cooperatives in total across the district, of which 73 have already received and distributed fertilizers to farmers. However, seven cooperatives are still waiting for their share.
Currently, the Company's warehouse holds 190 metric tonnes of DAP and 124.3 metric tonnes of urea in stock, said Tara Prasad Khanal, Chief of the Agriculture Inputs Company.
He added that rain-fed paddy is being cultivated on 20,480 hectares in the district, requiring an estimated 18,000 metric tonnes of urea and 12,000 metric tonnes of DAP.
