April 22: Experts have accused the government of undermining the agriculture sector of the country. Due to the government’s apathy, economists say that the import of goods that are produced within the country has also increased while the fertile lands have been left barren.

Speaking at a program organized by the Nepal Intellectuals’ council on Thursday, former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Dipendra Bahadur Chhetri said that it is unfortunate that agriculture sector is not even included in the national policy. Chhetri said, “In fact, the government has devalued the agricultural sector. It is not the fault of the present or any particular government; all the governments are responsible for the devaluation of the agricultural sector. On top of that, even the citizens have started living luxurious life. This has put a negative impact not only on the agricultural sector, but also on the economy as a whole.”

The former governor said that the agricultural sector should also be given special priority to solve the current problems seen in the economy of the country in the long run.

Another former governor, Dr Tilak Rawal also said that the government has not prioritized on agriculture.

“It is not possible to make a big revolution in the agricultural sector immediately. But the production of commodities like paddy, wheat and vegetables can be increased immediately. But the government is still unaware of this fact,” Rawal said, adding, “In the last 7/8 months, vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes worth more than Rs 11 billion were imported.  We can produce such vegetables in the country itself. However, the government has not introduced any policy to address this issue.”

Rawal stated that the US-China trade war, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine tensions have had a direct impact on Nepal's economy and that the government cannot be blamed. He said that imports should be tightened immediately to solve the current problems associated with the economy.

Meanwhile, former finance secretary Rameshwar Khanal said the state of Nepal's economy is not worrisome. However he acknowledged that is a crucial time for the state to become alert. Khanal said, “There is enough foreign exchange reserves to support six months of imports, which is enough in itself. Even if it goes down to 3 months, there is still no need to panic,” he added, “On top of that, our foreign debt repayment schedule is good. Just 3 percent of the annual revenue is enough to pay the installment. Therefore, it is unlikely that the country will reach the same state as Sri Lanka.”

Former Minister Pradip Gyawali said that the investors are losing trust in the private sector. He said, “There is no guarantee that the domestic investors are safe to invest in the country. As a result, the capital is being driven off. Also, the government lacks seriousness on this issue.”