June 13: The crops planted in Palpa are not improving due to the lack of timely application of chemical fertilizers. Durga Acharya, a farmer in the district, says that the crop has not been able to thrive due to lack of urea right from the time of planting seeds.

“We bought urea sold in the black market at a high price for the first time. It cost Rs 42 per kg and we used it once for the maize planted in our field. The crop is not showing any signs of production due to the lack of fertilizers the second time. Now we have no hope of producing maize this time.”

Another farmer, Sarada Regmi paid Rs 50 for a kilogram of urea for her crops hoping for a better produce. Farmers have been using chemical fertilizers twice for maize.

Even in the black market, farmers are forced to pay double the price for the fertilizer. Regmi complained that they bought fertilizer at a high price even in the black market but the next time they could not find it regardless of the price.

The price of urea distributed through cooperatives is Rs 20 per kg. Farmers are put in a tight spot as some traders are selling fertilizers at high prices in the black market while taking advantage of the shortage.

Ganesh Acharya, the manager of Lakshadhenu Advanced Cattle Farm complained that they are facing problems for animal feed as well due to lack of fertilizer for the grass needed for feeding the cattle.

Bishnumaya Khadka, operator of Holistic Cow Farm, planted grass and maize on about 40 ropanis of land for animal feed alone. She is worried how to feed the animals as the grass and maize are not improving.

The operators of large livestock farms are worried about managing the cattle feed due to lack of fertilizer.

Suman Panthi, head of the Agriculture Inputs Company Limited, Palpa, said that the government is working to bring the fertilizer pledged by the Indian company through the 'fast track' process. He said, “There are discussions going on for supplying chemical fertilizer to Nepal through an Indian company but the mode of export is not yet decided. Fertilizer can be brought through the fast track within 15 days.”

Organic manure can be used to fill the shortage of urea for maize. But the farmers are requesting for chemical fertilizer as soon as possible as manure will not be sufficient for paddy plantation.

Chairman of Bijaypur Agricultural Cooperative Rampur, Om Prakash Regmi said that there has been a shortage of urea since the past three months. He says that some farmers visit the cooperative daily with complaints. They are assured that the fertilizer will arrive by mid-June.

In Palpa, 53 organizations are involved in trading chemical fertilizers with permission from the government. It has been found that the consumption of fertilizers is increasing every year in the district. Five years ago, the district used to consume 1000 metric tons of fertilizer per year. But last year’s consumption was found to be 2000 metric tons. The use of chemical fertilizers is increasing every year with the decline in the fertility of the soil and the availability of cultivable land.

Cooperatives are not allowed to trade chemical fertilizers without the recommendation of the local government’s committee under the coordination of the deputy chief of the municipality. The agricultural cooperatives selected by the committee are allowed to distribute fertilizers. At each local level, one ward and one agricultural cooperative are allowed to sell and distribute fertilizers. If there are no agricultural cooperatives, the municipality may allow savings and loan cooperatives to buy and sell fertilizers.

Kamana Adhikari, chief of the Agriculture Knowledge Center says that the production of maize in the district is expected to decline this year due to unavailability of fertilizers on time.

Ram Hari Pandey, chief of the agriculture branch of Rampur Municipality, said that the farmers who are into the cultivation sector are now frustrated as they are unable to get fertilizer at the right time.