KATHMANDU, Aug 11: Despite the onset of the monsoon after prolonged drought, farmers in the Terai region are struggling due to a severe shortage of fertilizers. Unable to obtain fertilizer from government depots, many farmers are forced to purchase it at inflated prices. When Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli posted on social media that there is no fertilizer shortage, farmers responded directly on social media, challenging his claim.
Lalit Jaisi commented, “Don’t post on social media walls; instead, deliver fertilizers directly to farmers’ fields. The suffering of farmers in the border areas cannot be healed by social media posts alone.”
While reports of farmers struggling due to fertilizer shortages were emerging, Prime Minister Oli claimed on Sunday night that there would be no shortage of chemical fertilizers during this year’s farming season, prompting Lalit to respond as above.
The PM also stated that the government has given special attention to the issue of fertilizers and publicly shared detailed information about the current stock and the fertilizers expected to arrive.
Quoting the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), he said there are presently 29,111 metric tons of fertilizers with Krishi Samagri Company Limited (KSCL) and 13,712 metric tons with Salt Trading Corporation (STC), totaling 42,823 metric tons of urea, DAP and potash fertilizers in stock. Additionally, 140,504 metric tons of fertilizers are expected to arrive soon, ensuring there will be no shortage for farmers.
However, farmers dismiss this as just paperwork. They say fertilizers may exist according to official data, but their fields are still suffering from a lack of fertilizers.
“‘There is a severe shortage of fertilizer; it’s hardly available anywhere and when available, fertilizer that should cost 1,100 rupees is being sold for up to 2,500, and fertilizer that should cost 2,500 rupees is being sold for up to 4,000,’ writes Manbahadur Shahi in a comment on the PM’s status. ‘Yet you speak as if there is no problem with fertilizer availability.’”
PM Oli has urged farmers to immediately report any fertilizer shortages to the relevant authorities. He wrote, “Let’s make our fields green!” But farmers don’t even know how to get fertilizer.”
Nagendra Raut from Ramouli, Parsa, shared, “I irrigate one bigha of paddy land using a borewell but haven’t been able to get fertilizer for a week. How can I get it? Where should I go?”
Mulchand Yadav also stressed that fertilizers should reach farmers’ fields, not just be stocked in warehouses. “Just having stock is not enough. This season requires a lot of urea. KSCL and STC should be monitored to ensure fertilizers reach farmers as needed,” he said.
Due to drought effects, about 77% of paddy transplanting has taken place in eight districts of Madhesh Province. According to Jitendra Yadav, Director at the Directorate of Agriculture Development, Bara district has the highest transplanting at 95%, while Mahottari has the lowest at 61.5%.
Of the province’s 542,581 hectares of arable land, 372,645 hectares are suitable for paddy, with only 285,335 hectares transplanted so far. Paddy planting is expected to reach up to 80% this year, but delayed transplanting could reduce total production by about 27%, Director Yadav said.
If fertilizers do not arrive on time, the production drop could be even worse. Nagendra added, “Applying fertilizer late is useless. Farmers urgently need easy access to fertilizers.”
Past statistics from the Madhesh Province Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperative Ministry reveal a consistent shortage of fertilizers. Until this mid-August, there is a significant gap between the required amount of fertilizer and the amount actually available.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25, only 66,505 metric tons of urea were available out of a needed 256,598 metric tons, and only 29,312 metric tons of DAP were received out of the required 133,619 metric tons.
The gap between demand and supply indicates that fertilizer shortages in Madhesh may never be fully resolved. While the demand in Madhesh alone is high, the federal government is currently preparing to procure only 600,000 metric tons of fertilizer for the entire country.
Dr. Januka Pandit, spokesperson for the MoALD, said Rs 2.88 billion has been allocated this FY for the purchase of 600,000 metric tons of fertilizer, and the ministry is working on procurement. “We have already tendered for 300,000 metric tons. The delay is due to rules and procedures,” she said.
She also explained that stock fertilizers are distributed to provinces based on quotas. “Provinces distribute fertilizers to municipalities, which then deliver to designated cooperatives. Any gaps usually occur at the municipal level,” she added.
Farmers, however, remain unconvinced. Binay Chaurasiya wrote, “The gap is intentional. Fertilizers are not arriving on time. It’s not enough to talk; promises must be fulfilled.”