Stakeholders Warn Cross-Border Imports Threaten Domestic Agriculture

Kathmandu. Agricultural stakeholders have stated that cheap and unhealthy cross-border products are posing a significant challenge to domestic agriculture, which faces high production costs.

Participants expressed these concerns during a program titled 'Inter-Provincial Relations and Cooperation in the Agricultural Sector,' organized by the Federalism and Localization Center (FLC) on Sunday.

The event, held in Lalitpur, saw the participation of representatives from provincial Ministries of Agriculture and Land Management, federal agricultural ministry officials, and researchers.

Chaired by FLC Chairman Dr. Khim Lal Devkota, the program featured presentations on the importance of inter-provincial learning and collaboration in agriculture. Participants also discussed achievements, challenges, potential for inter-provincial cooperation, and shared experiences.

Bagmati Province Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Madhusudan Paudel, praised the achievements of the provinces but highlighted that low-cost, unhealthy imports are undermining domestic production.

Lalitpur Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Manjali Shakya Bajracharya expressed concern over the shrinking agricultural land and production, noting that while developed nations prioritize agriculture, Nepal has failed to do so.

Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Keshav Devkota, noted that nearly 60 percent of the total budget is spent on fertilizer procurement, emphasizing that development work should be carried out at the provincial and local levels as per the constitution.

'The federal government should only coordinate, but some programs are copied directly from federal plans without context-specific modifications. The increasing number of institutions amidst shrinking resources is another challenge,' said Secretary Devkota.

Hari Prasad Pandit, a senior agricultural expert and head of the planning department in Lumbini Province, reported that only 38 percent of the required manpower positions are filled despite agriculture being a priority sector.

'Provinces receive less than 9 percent of the total budget, while the federal government spends heavily on chemical fertilizers. This year, investment in the agricultural sector has decreased by 3.46 percent, and provincial budget distribution remains unequal,' he stated.

The program also featured insights from Arjun Dev Gyawali, Agricultural Extension Officer at the Gandaki Province Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives; Jharna Panthi, Chief of the Bagmati Province Agricultural Development Division; and Prahlad Lamichhane, Program Director at FLC.