There will be no shortage of fertiliser in Rupandehi this year. There is no shortage of fertiliser as enough fertiliser arrived here in January and cooperatives and farmers have stock in their houses.
Last year, farmers could not get fertiliser at the time of paddy plantation due to a short supply in time. But this year, the cooperatives said that there will be no shortage of fertiliser at the time of planting paddy.
Farmer Ram Chandra Murau of Rupandehi Sammarimai-5, who planted paddy by bringing chemical fertiliser from the Indian market last year, said that the compulsion to go to India has been this year.
“Last year, I brought fertiliser from India and planted paddy in a field of five and a half bighas. This year, there is no need to go to India for fertiliser after it became available in the cooperatives of the village,” he said.
Farmer Akbal Khan of Mazhagaon in Kotahimai-5 of the district said that cooperatives have provided potash along with urea and DAP to the farmers on demand.
“I have brought 15 kg of potash along with one sack of urea and DAP from Navadurga Swavalamban Multipurpose Cooperative for three bighas of land. Now the concern of fertiliser has been addressed,” said Khan.
Ainula Khan of Mazhgaon has bought two bags of DAP fertilizer from another cooperative in Kothaimai for planting the paddy. He plans to plant paddy in seven bighas of land.
“I need three sacks of urea and one sack of potash for paddy cultivation this year,” he said he said.
Navadurga Swavalamban Multipurpose Cooperative is distributing fertiliser to more than 3,800 members of the organisation. Farmers who had been facing a shortage of fertiliser in the past have started queuing at local cooperatives after the cooperatives started distributing the fertiliser.
Chairperson of Navadurga Cooperative Durga Prasad Kurmi said that the cooperative has been maintaining a stock of fertiliser since January and there is no shortage as fertiliser is being supplied every week by the Agriculture Inputs Company.
“Two thousand bags of DAP fertiliser is required until the time of planting paddy, but there is no shortage even now as fertiliser is being imported,” he said.
According to the Province Agriculture Development Directorate, Lumbini Province, 120,000 tonnes of chemical fertiliser is required annually in all 12 districts of the province. Out of that, currently, there are 15,700 tonnes of chemicals in stock at the AICL Bhairahawa Office.
Similarly, there is a stock of 2,600 tonnes of fertiliser in the districts. It is preparing to receive 10,000 tonnes of fertiliser from Bangladesh through government to government model.
Ganesh Prasad Ghimire, information officer of AICL, Bhairahawa, said that there will be no shortage of fertiliser for paddy this year as the company, agricultural cooperatives, and farmers themselves have been stockpiling fertilsier since January.
Source : THE RISING NEPAL,
