Nepali farmers face fertilizer shortage, government trying to buy it from India

Jun 30, 2022

Kathmandu (Nepal), June 30 (ANI): Farmers in Nepal face a shortage of fertilizers during the peak harvest season that could reduce food availability and incomes, but the silver lining is that Nepal is trying to purchase fertilizers from India through a government to government agreement. On the slopes surrounding the capital Kathmandu, Gopal Kafle was busy preparing his field to transplant paddy saplings. His woes, for the time being, have been warded off as he was able to secure a sack of fertilizer before the price shot up owing to the shortage. In order to increase production, Gopal has been using 6.5 kilograms of fertilizer immediately after the transplantation of saplings. In due course of time, the amount of fertilizer to be used in the field continues to increase adding to the expenses of the farmers. With an acute shortage of fertilizers during the peak harvest season, the harvest for the season could dwindle further slashing incomes increasing fear of food shortage and increased inflation. The agricultural sector of the Himalayan Nation contributes to about 25 per cent of the national economy further employing about 60 per cent of the workforce of Nepal.