Fertiliser crisis is hitting farmers hard. Fix it

Arrest of Nepali farmers in India reveals how fertiliser shortage is forcing them to seek risky choices.

A shortage of chemical fertiliser during the peak farming season has been a perennial problem in Nepal. It recurred this year as well. The government has all the information regarding the quantity the country needs, the timing of the demand, and the investment required to make fertilisers available at subsidised prices. Yet, it persistently fails to ensure their timely availability. As a result, farmers, mainly from Tarai, have to rely on the Indian market, fraught with legal risks.