Resolve On Fertilisers

Unanimous decision among the members of the House of Representatives (HoR) on a matter of urgent public concern is the good symbol for democracy and the people. Supply of fertilisers is an urgent need of the nation, particularly at a time now when paddy plantation works have started with the onset of the monsoon season. The federal parliament, the other day, unanimously endorsed a special proposal to direct the government to supply fertilisers to the farmers by applying all necessary measures. This positive move of the lawmakers has generated hope among the farmers that their representatives are serious about their demands amid the concerns that they are not getting fertilisers on time. There are problems of the people that need to be addressed and resolved without making delays. Delayed actions sometimes appear like medicine after death as they have no meaning when the time of use expires. This rule applies in the matter of fertiliser supply because if the farmers cannot use this agro input in time, desirable agricultural production cannot be expected.

Agriculture being the economic mainstay of the country, reliable and smooth supply of fertilisers is an important matter that the government should address with priority. But the shortage of fertilisers is an issue that keeps resurfacing almost every year. The hue and cry over this matter should not pass unheard because without this essential agricultural input, we cannot expect desirable level of output. The topic should not come into view only when the paddy plantation season approaches. The government needs to bear in mind that a large amount of fertilisers is needed during this season and the supply arrangements have to be made months in advance. There should be adequate stock of fertilisers so that the shortage does not turn out to be critical. 

Parliament is the place where genuine concerns of the people are raised to draw the attention of the government. The members of parliament rightly raised the issue of fertiliser supply as a special motion which the Speaker of the House Agni Prasad Sapkota received with all seriousness. The Speaker said that serious attention of the House was drawn to the unavailability of the chemical fertilisers as the time of paddy plantation has started.  Initially, CPN-UML chief whip Bishal Bhattarai had filed the proposal which was unanimously endorsed by the House. It is a positive development that lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties joined hand to approve the motion. This gives a sense of unity among all the political forces to address the common grievances of the people. After the endorsement of the special proposal, Speaker Sapkota directed the government to take necessary measures to provide fertilisers to the farmers. 

"This House's serious attention has been drawn to the fact that chemical fertilisers, which are essential for increasing agro-products, are not available during this season of paddy plantation. This meeting directs the government to take all possible measures to make the essential fertilisers easily available to the farmers," the special directive reads. Responding to the queries of the lawmakers, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mahendra Ray Yadav said that the required amount of fertilisers is likely to arrive in Nepal by the end of July. He said that the process of importing 150,000 metric tonnes of chemical fertilisers by the Agricultural Inputs Company Limited and 117,000 metric tonnes by the Salt Trading Company has started.