Biratnagar, September 11

Farmers of the eastern part of the country are reeling under acute shortage of chemical fertilisers after the recent floodwater inundated the fertilisers kept in the godowns of Agriculture Materials Company Regional Office, Biratnagar.

Agriculture Materials Company Regional Office, Biratnagar, had brought the chemical fertiliser from India.

The floodwater had entered into the godowns of the company. Information officer Nawaratna Gautam of the company said that the farmers were reeling under shortage of fertiliser as the godowns were inundated. “We cannot fulfil the farmers’ demand,” he added.

The company had stored 2,300 tonnes urea, 30 tonnes diammonium phosphate and 1,478 tonnes Potash in the godowns.

According to Gautam, the floodwater had entered four godowns of Biratnagar. He added that around 1,000 sacks of urea and 74 sacks of DAP were inundated. He said chemical fertilisers worth Rs 999,200 was destroyed by the floodwater.

Gautam said the crisis would remain for some more days as the demanded fertilisers were yet to reach the respective godowns from Calcutta, India. “The vehicles carrying fertilisers are stuck in India due to damaged roads,” he added.