Agriculture ministry inking pact with India to purchase fertiliser

Kathmandu / June 3: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development is preparing to purchase chemical fertilizer from India on a G to G (government to government) basis.

Secretary of the ministry of agriculture Dr Yogendra Kumar Karki informed that Cabinet has given the approval in principle to proceed the G to G agreement for the fertilizer purchase.

He said that the required documents of both sides have been made ready and studied and now the ministry is waiting for the signature of agreement paper. He said that agreement will be signed within this June.

The agreement is being made for purchasing chemical fertilizers from India for five years. It aims to purchase up to 5 lakh metric tons a year.

Secretary Karki said that this is the first time that the government is inking a pact with India to purchase fertilisers in this way. Before this, the government had purchased 50 thousand metric ton of urea fertilizer from Bangladesh on G to G basis. He said that there will be sufficient supply of fertilizer for this year.

He stated that there is sufficient amount of fertilizer in the storage facility but the supply is disrupted due to the prohibitory order.

He informed that the Agriculture Inputs Company and Salt Trading Cooperation have been directed to facilitate the supply of fertilizer to ensure that the farmers get it in time.

The Ministry has been implementing the guidelines in this regard. Work is underway to collect data about the amount of fertilisers needed in a local level and provinces, and at what time period.