Fertilizer Shortage: Time to Take Decisive Action

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has rightly expressed serious concern over the recurring shortage of chemical fertilizer. Complaints about its scarcity during the critical planting season are not new, yet his proactive initiative to address the matter deserves commendation. On Tuesday, he made his expectations unmistakably clear to Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari, Supply Minister Damodar Bhandari and other officials responsible for fertilizer management: “We need fertilizer.” Soon after assuming office last year, Prime Minister Oli had already instructed all relevant agencies to take every necessary measure to ensure the timely supply of fertilizer. Despite these directives, the system failed to deliver. If fertilizer cannot be supplied even when the Prime Minister personally intervenes, it is a stark indication of how deeply dysfunctional the existing system has become. During the meeting, frustrated by evasive responses like “but” and “however,” the Prime Minister emphasized: “More than anything else, I need fertilizer. We really need it here.” For decades, farmers in Nepal have faced the same challenge: the unavailability of fertilizer during crucial agricultural seasons. Subsidized fertilizer brought in by the state often fails to reach those who need it most. The responsibility lies with the Agriculture Inputs Company Limited, a fully government-owned agency tasked with the procurement, storage, and distribution of chemical fertilizer.