October 2: Tara Prasad, an industrialist from Birgunj, left his traditional enterprise of rice production and started an organic fertilizer factory.

His 'Captain Farm' opened in Birgunj has been producing organic fertilizers. Tara, who initially produced milk through cow and buffalo farming, said that he recently opened a fertilizer factory with the aim of reducing the effects of chemical fertilizers.

The factory opened with an investment of Rs 250 million is spread over an area of 3 bighas of land and the fertilizer is delivered to the market under the ‘tree’ brand. He said, “The increasing use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture is destroying the fertility of the soil and the health of people. I started producing organic fertilizers to reduce this effect.”

He claimed that organic fertilizer made by collecting cattle dung and mixing local weeds will increase the productivity by more than 40 percent than the use of chemical fertilizers.

Captain Farm has been selling such fertilizer worth Rs 60 million annually. Fertilizer produced here is being sold in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Hetauda, Narayangadh and other places.

He also said that organic fertilizers are imported illegally from India. Prasad claims that the manure entering illegally is of poor quality. He said that the farmers are cheated by illegally imported compost. “On the one hand, farmers have been cheated by this illegally imported fertilizer, on the other hand, indigenous entrepreneurs have been hit,” he said.

He also complained that although the local governments have introduced agricultural programs, they have not adopted a policy on the use of organic fertilizers. Due to the use of chemical fertilizers, the natural properties of the soil are being degraded. There is a serious impact on public health, he said, adding, “The government at any level has not been serious about it.”