'Insufficient budget for grant on chemical fertilizer'

Kathmandu, June 8: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ramnath Adhikari, admitted that budget for the grants on chemical fertilizer was insufficient at present. 

It is because of insufficient grant, the country is facing a shortage of chemical fertilizer, Minister Adhikari shared during a meeting of the Committee on Development, Economic Affairs and Good Governance in the National Assembly today. However, the ministry is at work to ensure timely supply of chemical fertilizer managed so far from the available grant, he added. 

"Earlier, the ministry would spend Rs 87 billion out of Rs 501 billion under five-year agricultural grant. Detail study on the grant is being conducted to know about the recipients of the grants," the Minister said.

Similarly, he informed that his ministry had forwarded discussions with the concerned stakeholders to curb the use of chemicals in agricultural products. An executive director has been recently appointed at Nepal Agricultural Research Council. 

On the occasion, Committee Chair Kamala Panta informed that the committee held discussion with the Minister to know about the farmers' complaints on insufficiency of chemical fertilizers at a time when they are cultivating land for paddy plantation.

The Committee directed the Minister and provincial and local governments to work in a way to ensure smooth supply of chemical fertilizers.  (RSS)