PM Oli directs Agriculture Ministry for timely availability of chemical fertilizer

Kathmandu, Feb 13: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ram Nath Adhikari, has briefed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli about the progress and problems of different activities carried out by the ministry.     

In a meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers today, Minister Adhikari familiarized the Prime Minister about various issues including on stock of chemical fertilizer, the agriculture investment decade (2081-2091), the national agriculture policy and agriculture bill, the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, restructuring of Nepal Agricultural Research Council, grants to sugarcane farmers and subsidized agricultural loan.     

On the occasion, PM Oli directed the Agriculture Ministry to end the situation of creating problem to farmers, making the supply and distribution of chemical fertilizer easy, smooth and transparent.     

He also urged the ministry to make preparation for the establishment of fertilizer industry in the country and to bring a policy to give priority in the use of manure.     

PM Oli requested to call tender for chemical fertilizer on time as well as to distribute fertilizer in Tarai in 10 days and 15 days in hilly areas after getting it.     

According to the ministry, a total of Rs 27.95 billion budget has been allocated to purchase 550,000 metric tonnes of chemical fertilizer annually.     

A total of 240,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer has been imported so far and 263,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer including last year's stock has already been sold out.     

Likewise, 30,000 metric tonnes of urea fertilizer is in the process of import. The ministry shared that problem is surfaced due to legal arrangement of 45-day time for global tender.     

Discussion was also held to organise BIMESTIC ministerial meeting on agriculture in a grand manner for multi-regional and economic collaboration scheduled in Kathmandu on April8-9.     

Prime Minister Oli directed the Agriculture Ministry to present itself with a plan of making owns participation effective, objective in such forum and fulfilling the desire of Nepal's prosperity.     

He also reminded to remove the name of Prime Minister from Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project in the meeting.     

Present in the meeting were Deputy prime Minister and Finance Minister, Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Chief Secretary Eak Narayan Aryal, Secretaries at Agriculture Ministry, Dr Govinda Sharma and Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra. (RSS)