Damauli, September 25

As the agitation in Tarai continues, it has had ripple effects elsewhere, especially in the hills. Tanahun is reeling under scarcity of chemical fertilisers lately.

As per the sources at Damauli sub-branch of Agriculture Inputs Company Ltd, the district has been reeling under acute scarcity of urea, a type of chemical fertiliser, owing to difficulties in transporting fertilisers from Birgunj.

“We have to walk a long distance to get here to receive some 15-20 kg fertiliser but even after queuing for hours we have to return empty handed,” complained Bhim Bahadur of Kahunshivapur-6, Chainthok.

While some village-based cooperatives dealing in fertilisers accused the company of discriminating against them by not providing them as much fertiliser as they provide to the town and bazaar-based cooperatives, the company has denied the accusation.

“Nothing of that sort has happened. We acknowledge that there is scarcity but it is due to the continuous strike in the Tarai,” said the company’s Damauli sub-branch chief Bal Bahadur Panth, adding fertilisers were distributed equally to all 86 cooperatives licensed to sell fertilisers in Tanahun, Lamjung and Gorkha districts.

As per the data at sub-branch, it has distributed 1730.050 metric tonnes of chemical fertilisers worth over 50 million to the cooperatives in the three districts in this fiscal so far.

The cooperatives are selling carbamide for Rs 24 per kg. Wherever the fertiliser is being sold, the cooperatives are selling up to 5 kg to a farmer.

According to experts, this is the right time to apply fertiliser to plants.