Kathmandu, Mar. 4: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal today has pledged to ensure enough fertilizers to farmers.

The government is serious about the lack of fertilizers farmers are facing and acts accordingly, she said at a press conference at the ministry.

The government would import fertilizers as per its necessity, she said. "Provinces have been asked to provide demands for fertilizers. For this, necessary arrangements will be made." Preparations were underway to seek long term solution to the problems related to fertilizer supply, she said.

The process to open factories producing chemical fertilizers has been moved ahead. "In this regard, we have asked secretaries of the Finance Ministry, Agriculture Ministry and Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to prepare an action plan. To this effect, a proposal will be taken to the Cabinet," she said.

Of 500 thousand metric tonnes of fertilizers the government aims to bring in for the fiscal year, 2020/21, 187 thousand metric tonnes have already been sold off and 162 thousand metric tonnes is in stock. And 269,000 metric tonnes are yet to be imported.

On the occasion, the Ministry's secretary Yogendra Kumar Karki said that the government has prioritized farm manure in a bid to make enough supply of fertilizers to farmers.