Govt initiates process to bring in fertilizer from five more countries

KATHMANDU: The government has taken an initiative to bring fertilizer on the basis of government-to-government (GtoG) agreement from five more countries following successful GtoG purchase from Bangladesh.

The agriculture ministry informed that the process to bring in fertilizer from India is in the final stage.

Similarly, a letter has been sent via the foreign ministry to China, Bangladesh, Oman, and Morocco to purchase fertilizer from them. However, a substantial reply is yet to be received.

Joint secretary Dr. Hari Bahadur K C said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had sent the letter through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to these four countries after agreement in principle from the Council of Ministers for the purchase of fertilizer on a GtoG basis.

He said that the fertilizer has already been brought from Bangladesh and with regard to purchasing fertilizer from India, all the processes have been completed leaving only the signature of the two sides for the purchase agreement.

He said all these GtoG purchases were only for mitigating a possible shortage of fertilizer and a global tender will be called for importing fertilizer soon.

He said that only 30 per cent of the required fertilizer can be brought through the G2G process.

At present five countries are chosen for this purpose. The fertilizer will be purchased from the country that provides at lower cost and concession.