Farmers in Nuwakot are struggling as they remain unable to apply fertilizers to their crops—including maize, rice, and vegetables—even though it is the peak time to apply urea. They complain that the concerned authorities have failed to act responsibly.

“We were simply told there’s no fertilizer available and had to return home empty-handed,” said Ramchandra Agasti, a local farmer. “There’s a real concern that the maize crop will suffer. The optimal time to apply urea after irrigation is slipping away, and farmers can’t access fertilizer when they need it most.”

The shortage has occurred due to the failure of relevant agencies to ensure timely delivery of urea fertilizer.

Another farmer, Ram Prasad Paneru, echoed similar frustrations. The Agriculture Office has acknowledged that farmers are receiving only limited quantities of fertilizer, as supply falls far short of demand.

Despite high demand for urea fertilizer in Nuwakot, the supply has not met the requirement. Currently, rice is being cultivated on 12,000 hectares and maize on 15,000 hectares in the district. According to agricultural technicians, farmers need around 9,000 tons of chemical fertilizer per hectare.

The Agricultural Development Office in Nuwakot confirmed that fertilizer is not being supplied as per demand. Office Chief Keshav Khanal said there have been frequent complaints of farmers receiving insufficient amounts due to limited supply. The Trishuli branch of the Agricultural Materials Company Limited and the Salt Trading Corporation’s Nuwakot branch are responsible for distributing chemical fertilizers, but both are reportedly facing shortages in their warehouses.

Farmers further complain that, due to the unavailability of subsidized fertilizer, they are being forced to purchase it from the market at much higher prices.