Process begins to deliver stranded fertilisers from Tatopani customs

By Our Correspondent,Sindhupalchowk, Mar. 2: About 735,000 sacks of chemical fertilisers have been kept in the Tatopani customs office yard for the last eleven months.

Although there was an agreement between the Agriculture Inputs Company Limited and the importer to supply the fertiliser in time, the fertiliser has been stranded in the yard for a long time.

Trans Silk Terminals Pvt. Ltd and other business organisations jointly brought the fertiliser for AICL from China to the Tatopani customs office in May last year.

As the fertiliser has been stagnant for eleven months in the customs office, the farmers who planted winter crops have been hit by the lack of fertiliser. Now, due to the lack of fertiliser, farmers are not able to use it in their crops.

Dayanidhi KC, Chief Customs Officer of Tatopani Dry Port Customs Office, said that around 735,000 sacks of fertilisers were kept in the customs yard for almost a year.

He said that the importers and AICL would soon complete the banking process and release such fertiliser by completing customs clearance.

The fertiliser was transported by 1,100 containers from China.

According to the customs office, the fertiliser will be released so that it reaches the needy farmers as soon as possible.

In the fiscal year 2022/23, Trans Silk Traminlus got the contract to import fertiliser for the AICL.

Chairman of Silk Transport, Ramesh Sherpa said that after completing the process at the customs office, the fertiliser would be delivered to Kathmandu soon.

He said that although the fertiliser should be delivered to the capital immediately, he was worried about the problems faced by farmers due to delays in the delivery of the fertiliser. 

As seen in the picture, over 700000 sacks of chemical fertilisers have been kept in the Tatopani customs office yard for the last eleven months in Sindhupalchok. (TRN photo)