Nepal Buys 80,000 Tonnes of Fertilizer from India Amid Global Price Surge

Kathmandu: Nepal has decided to buy 80,000 tonnes of fertiliser from India under a government-to-government arrangement. The initial target for the government to subsidise fertiliser imports in the current fiscal year was 550,000 tonnes, the Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday. However, the sharp rise in global prices has eroded Nepal's ability to buy nearly 40,000 tonnes of fertiliser. Sources in Kathmandu said the one-time purchase includes 60,000 tonnes of urea and 20,000 tonnes of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP). According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, the paddy transplantation season in Nepal starts in June, putting pressure on the government to ensure supply of fertiliser from friendly countries.