Taskforce proposed for importing chemical fertilizers from India

KATHMANDU, MARCH 16 : The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has proposed the formation of a taskforce to import chemical fertilizers from India under the government-to-government (G2G) model. Such a proposal is already sent to the ministerial council for the required approval. 

According to the  ministry, it has suggested for constituting the 9-member taskforce that will be led by Chief of the Agricultural Division, Kamalraj Gaire. Other eight members to be inducted in it are the representatives of the Ministries pertaining to Fnance, Home, Industry and Law. After the proposed taskforce is endorsed by the ministerial council,  the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, it will have dicussions with the Indian side to sort out the issue of importing chemical fertiizers.

On February 28, Nepal and India has signed a bilateral agreement as per which the former would purchase such fertlizers from the latter for the upcoming five years on the import parity price (IPP) basis. 

The state-owned Agriculture Inputs Corporation has been assigned for importing chemical fertlizers on the behalf of Nepal. But India is yet to select the company that will be exporting the same on its behalf. 

Earlier in 2013 nd 2016, Nepal imported 50 thusand and 100 thousand tons of chemical fertilizer respectively from India in order to cope up their extreme shortage.