Siraha. This year, a drought-like situation was created in most parts of the country till the beginning of the third week of July. Farmers were worried about the lack of rain for a long time.

At the time of sowing, there was no water in the field, the production of paddy seemed uncertain. But incessant rains started from the third week of July, and farmers were able to sow paddy even if it was late. Now is the sensitive time for the sown paddy to need fertilizer.

Although there is sufficient stock of chemical fertilizers required by the farmers at lahan branch office of Agriculture Materials Company Limited in Siraha, there is a problem in the distribution process. According to the company’s branch chief Deepraj Poudel, fertilizer is being distributed in three phases in the district so far. In the second phase alone, 939 metric tons of DAP and 1,027 metric tons of urea have arrived in the district. Poudel said that there would be no shortage as the third phase of fertilizer is also coming.

Branch chief Poudel claimed that there is sufficient stock of chemical fertilizers in the district, but the real farmers are complaining that they are not getting fertilizers. Raghubir Yadav, a farmer of Narha rural municipality-2, said, “I had been standing in line since 4 am yesterday. The company says there is fertilizer, we don’t,” he said, adding, “Paddy has started growing now.” This is the time to apply urea. Otherwise, the plant is weak. ”

Like Raghubir, Akhn Yadav of Lahan-18 is also worried about not getting fertilizer on time. He complained that he had to return empty-handed after reaching the Agricultural Cooperative Society at Lahan-1, which distributes chemical fertilizers in Lahan today. “We were confident of getting water, but now we are in trouble due to lack of fertilizer,” he said, adding, “The weather did not support us in time and we did not get fertilizer.” The farmer is always in double trouble, what to do. He complained that he had to pay up to Rs 3,500 to buy 50 kg of DAP fertilizer outside the market, which costs up to Rs 2,505.

Regarding the fact that the actual farmers did not get fertilizers despite the fertilizer in the warehouse, Poudel, branch chief of The Agricultural Materials Company Limited Lahan, said, “The problem is that the cooperatives are not moving forward the process of demanding fertilizers on time. There is fertilizer in the warehouse, but the distribution is done through the local level and cooperatives. ”

According to him, fertilizers have been distributed through 125 agricultural cooperatives in all 17 municipalities of Siraha under the second phase of distribution. Only 18,600 sacks of DAP fertilizer have been distributed. Of these, Lahan Municipality has distributed 2,090 sacks, Siraha Municipality 2,200 sacks, Dhangadhi mai 1,555 bags, Golbazar 1,510 bags and thousands of sacks in the remaining municipalities.

The company has admitted that some genuine farmers have been deprived of fertilizers as the current distribution system is based on access and recommendation. Branch chief Poudel says, “The turn of some farmers has not yet come, because the fertilizer comes in installments. Arrangements have been made to give all the farmers on a rotational basis. ”

On the other hand, local farmers are complaining that the cooperatives are distributing fertilizers on the basis of political beliefs and identity. According to them, the cooperatives have not adopted a transparent distribution process, which has created a situation where the common farmers do not get fertilizers on time. Similarly, the practice of the mayor or chairman of the municipality fixing quota for himself and distributing it to his own people has raised questions about the distribution system of fertilizers. There is a situation of conflict between farmers and distributors when the municipality and ward are arbitrarily recommended.

The agriculture cooperatives in Lahan municipality and Bhagwanpur rural municipality have been monitored today following complaints of irregularities in fertilizer and food distribution. A team led by the Area Administration Office Lahan along with representatives of Agricultural Materials Company Limited and Salt Trading Corporation Limited carried out the monitoring.

Administrative Officer at the Area Administration Office, Lahan, Santosh Raya, said that during the monitoring, serious errors were found in the cooperatives such as not keeping bills, not pasting the price list, keeping chemical fertilizers and food grains in one place. “Cooperatives not showing bills, not keeping price lists and keeping fertilizers and food grains in one place have shown serious irregularities in the distribution process,” he said. ”

Similarly, he stressed the need for regular monitoring as similar irregularities may occur in other municipalities as well. “There will be continuous monitoring in other municipalities to prevent recurrence of such serious errors. We have only warned the cooperatives monitored today as it is the first time,” he said.

Poudel, chief of The Agricultural Materials Company Limited Lahan branch, also stressed the need to improve the condition of cooperatives and strengthen regular monitoring. “We have been collaborating to improve the distribution system. However, there is a need for more strict monitoring as the cooperatives have acted against the rules. Earlier on Sunday, an inspection was carried out at the agriculture cooperatives of Siraha municipality under the leadership of the Assistant District Officer.

Chief Poudel said that the local level needs to arrange ‘Kisan Card’ to prevent such irregularities. He said that if kisan card is implemented to ensure the identity of the farmers, it will be easier to stop the fertilizer being distributed on the basis of accessibility and noise.

The stakeholders are of the view that cooperatives themselves should be responsible for the stability of the government even if the process of monitoring and improvement has been initiated. Salt Trading Corporation Limited is also distributing fertilizers along with the Agricultural Materials Company. The Agriculture Knowledge Centre has been adopting the process of determining the quota to the municipality as per the requirement and then distributing it through cooperatives. According to the farmers here, although the stock of fertilizer is sufficient, the farmers’ complaints will not be reduced until the distribution system improves.