Farmers face fertiliser shortage

By Ajay Shah, Gaushala, June 8: As the main paddy plantation season begins, farmers in Mahottari district are facing serious difficulties due to shortage of fertiliser, quality seeds, irrigation facilities and agricultural infrastructure.

Farmers fear that delays in the supply of essential agricultural inputs could disrupt farming activities and lead to a significant decline in paddy production this year.

Farmers in areas including Aurahi, Gaushala, Bardibas, Balawa, Loharpatti, Jaleshwar and Matihani are currently busy preparing paddy nurseries and transplantation. 

However, inadequate supply of chemical fertilisers has forced many to purchase them from private markets at high prices.

As subsidised urea and DAP fertilisers are not sufficiently available through government channels, shortages and price hikes have been reported in the market.

According to farmers, the lack of quality seeds is also likely to directly affect agricultural productivity. 

Inadequate rainfall has disrupted water supply through canal systems, while irregular electricity supply and low voltage have affected the operation of boring systems and tube wells.

Farmers say they are increasingly forced to rely on diesel pump sets as an alternative, significantly increasing production costs.

With irrigation systems failing to provide adequate water, crops in the fields have already started drying up, further deepening concerns over water shortages.

Dinesh Yadav, a farmer from Aurahi Municipality-2, said rising temperatures have reduced soil moisture, making it increasingly difficult to protect crops planted on cultivable land.

“Without alternative irrigation arrangements, agricultural production is likely to be directly affected,” he said.

Ghanshyam Yadav, another farmer from Aurahi Municipality-2 expressed concern over what he described as the negligence of concerned authorities regarding a non-functional deep boring facility.

According to him, although the deep boring system had been operating a few years ago, there is still no clear information about why it stopped functioning.

He complained that despite local government being the closest level of government to the people, no concrete initiatives have been taken to resolve the issue.

“The temperature is rising day by day, crops in the fields are drying up, but no investigation has even been carried out into why the deep boring system has stopped operating,” he said.

Farmers have also complained that low electricity voltage has affected the operation of shallow tube wells.

Citing low voltage, shortage of irrigation transformers and poor electricity supply, farmers and service users in Gaushala submitted a memorandum to the Nepal Electricity Authority distribution centre in Gaushala, Mahottari.

On Friday, a group of local consumers handed over the memorandum to assistant manager Umesh Prasad Yadav, demanding reliable electricity services for agricultural purposes.

The memorandum stated that farmers have been unable to irrigate their fields due to low voltage and a shortage of transformers.

Receiving the memorandum, Yadav said the authority was serious about addressing customers’ complaints and demands regarding electricity services.

He stated that due to high demand, problems would be resolved gradually based on available resources and priorities.

Similar shortages of fertiliser, seeds and irrigation facilities have also been reported in other areas of the district, including Gaushala, Bardibas, Loharpatti, Jaleshwar, Matihani and Balawa.

Farmers warned that if essential agricultural inputs are not made available on time, the risk of a major decline in paddy production this year will increase.

The Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Mahottari has acknowledged problems related to fertiliser, seeds and irrigation in the district and said efforts are being made in coordination with relevant agencies to improve the supply.

Dev Anand Raya Yadav said farmers are also being provided with technical advice to make maximum use of available resources.

Likewise, local governments said necessary procedures have been initiated to improve irrigation infrastructure, manage canals, improve electricity supply and repair non-functional deep boring systems.

Farmers have demanded the timely supply of chemical fertilisers, easy access to quality seeds, expansion of irrigation facilities and immediate repair and operation of closed deep boring systems.

They warned that unless the ongoing crisis related to fertiliser, seeds, irrigation and agricultural infrastructure is addressed immediately, paddy production this year could be seriously affected.