Kavre Farmers Prioritize Timely Fertilizer Supply Over Political Promises Ahead of Elections

Panauti. The atmosphere for elections is gradually building across the country. While the Election Commission is preparing for the elections scheduled for the upcoming Falgun 21, candidates are already engaged in campaigning even before the manifestos are released. 

As candidates go door-to-door seeking votes, voters are raising issues of their concern. While parties are assuring good governance and stability, the demands of farmers in Kavrepalanchok, a district neighboring Kathmandu, are different.

“Elections must be held on time as announced. We also have the right and duty to vote. We must choose a candidate we like and who can work, but this time, we will ask the candidates whether or not they can create an environment to bring fertilizer on time, and we will vote accordingly,” Sita Shrestha, who is cultivating potatoes in Panauti, Kavre, told Ratopati.

Every year, farmers here suffer due to the shortage of fertilizer during the planting season, which also leads to a decline in production. Farming is the main source of income in Kavre, which has 326,611 eligible voters. However, farmers complain that they suffer because they do not receive fertilizer on time. Their grievance is that this problem intensifies during the paddy planting season in Ashar and Shrawan.

“They say new faces will come. We will cast our votes, but they must also work properly for our benefit. It would be much easier for us if we received fertilizer on time,” Suman Amatya, who was preparing ridges for planting potatoes, told Ratopati. 

Government statistics show that the expenditure on importing chemical fertilizers, essential for agriculture which constitutes the largest share of Nepal's Gross Domestic Product, has increased significantly in recent years, despite the annual scarcity. In the four-year period from the fiscal year 2071-72 to 2074-75, the annual expenditure on fertilizer imports was around 5 to 6 billion rupees. The lowest expenditure during this period was 4.83 billion rupees in 2073-74. However, the expenditure started rising continuously thereafter. The expenditure surpassed 8 billion in FY 2075-76 and continued to increase, reaching 9.40 billion rupees in 2077-78. The last two fiscal years show an extraordinary increase in fertilizer import costs. 

The expenditure was 14.39 billion rupees in 2078-79, and in the very next fiscal year, 2079-80, this amount more than doubled to 31.01 billion rupees. Similarly, 24.34 billion rupees worth of fertilizer was imported in 2080-81 and 27.95 billion in 2081-82. A budget of over 28 billion has also been allocated for the current fiscal year.

These statistics show that in about a decade, the country's expenditure on fertilizer imports has increased more than fivefold. Due to rising international market prices and dependence, a large portion of the state budget is being spent on purchasing fertilizer. The total annual demand for chemical fertilizer in the country is about 1.3 million tons. However, only 300,000 to 400,000 tons are imported annually, and even that is often not received by farmers on time.