Nepal’s fertiliser conundrum–governments ponder over it every paddy season and then forget after harvest

An agreement signed with India to directly procure 100,000 tonnes of fertiliser annually expired in 2017. Since then Nepali farmers have been deprived of timely supply of fertilisers, as autorites have failed to explore other options.

Farmers on Wednesday stood in serpentine lines in various districts, ignoring the coronavirus threat, to buy urea amid a severe crunch of the essential nutrient for their paddy.