Rupandehi. Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari has said that the state should take the responsibility of running chemical fertilizer industries (factories) in Nepal.

Speaking at an interaction programme organised by The Nepali Congress Regional Working Committee Constituency No. 3, Rupandehi in Bhairahawa today, he said that he had raised the issue in the Council of Ministers several times after becoming a minister. He informed that necessary discussions were underway to take responsibility of the state to operate the chemical fertilizer industry.

“The Investment Board is currently investigating where there is a possibility of opening a chemical fertilizer manufacturing plant in Nepal,” he said, adding, “I think the decision of the Investment Board will come in a maximum of two months.” Stating that he was working to bring some positive changes, he said that the management of fertilizers would be done soon.

Minister Adhikari informed that the budget allocated for fertilizer has been increased from Rs 27 billion last year to around Rs 29 billion this year. “At present, there is a need for 1.3 million tonnes of fertilizer. But our budget can sustain around 450,000 tonnes. If we can increase it to eight instead of four, it will be a little more than what it is now, even if we can’t give enough,” he said.

Minister Adhikari said that the government was making efforts to solve the problem as there was only one complaint that we did not get enough fertilizer from east to west.