Fertiliser shortage pushes Lumbini farmers to lean on costly imports

As paddy planting begins, farmers across Lumbini province struggle to secure essential fertilisers, turning to expensive and less effective Indian alternatives amid government supply delays and mismanagement.

Shyam Bahadur Chaudhary from Ward 6 of Omsatiya Rural Municipality, Rupandehi, is busy working on his field. He spends days building ridges and managing irrigation to prepare the land for sowing seeds, yet he has no idea when and how fertiliser will be available.