'Selling of fertilizers will be made transparent'

Kathmandu, March 8 (RSS): His Majesty's Government has brought into effect a national fertilizer policy with the objective of making the supply system more effective and supporting agricultural production.

The policy which has a core objective of increasing agricultural production through improvement in soil fertility is believed to facilitate the availability of fertilizers in keeping with the farmers' increasing demand for and interest in fertilizers.

According to information given at a press conference organised at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives with the objective of highlighting the national fertilizer policy, the chemical fertilizers supplies system has improved following private sector participation in this sector since 2054 BS.

Total consumption of chemical fertilizers in fiscal year 2054/55 BS was 108,728 metric tons, and it is increased by 44 per cent in fiscal year 2055/56 BS. The consumption of the same in fiscal year 2057/58 was 156,093 metric tons.

The national policy is expected to facilitate effective implementation of an integrated crops management system promotion programme and improve the environment through mitigation of the adverse effect of increased use of chemical fertilizers on the soil.

Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya told the press conference that arrangements have been made to hold 20 per cent of the estimated amount of total consumption in stock so as to ensure regularity of supplies.

He also gave assurances that stock management and the selling and distribution of fertilizers will be made reliable, transparent and competitive.

Minister Acharya also made it clear that although the practice of providing subsidy on import of chemical fertilizers has already been stopped arrangements have been made to make the fertilizers available in remote hill districts which are not yet linked by road and to very poor and marginal peasants at discount rates through special agricultural programmes.

The new national policy will encourage domestic production, make the import and districution of chemical fertilizers reliable and transparent, and ensure equal opportunity for government and the private and cooperatives sector in dealings in chemical fertilizer, he said.

The policy is also aimed at restructuring the agricultual inputs corporation and enhancing its efficacy, and giving priority to better management of the compost, organic and chemical fertilizers produced in the country or imported, minister acharya said.

Other Story

• REP changes the face of Dolakha VDCs