Fertilizer subsidies must reach the right people – Minister

The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, K.D. Lal Kantha, stated that fertilizer subsidies should be granted only to the right individuals at the right time.

The Minister made this statement during a special discussion held on May 26, 2025 at the auditorium of the Govijana Mandiraya, with the participation of additional secretaries of ministries, heads of institutions, and other senior officials.

Several issues related to the current state of the relevant ministries were addressed during the discussion.

It was revealed that there is currently a 35% shortage of Agricultural Research and Production Assistants across the country. As a result of this shortage, there have been delays in gathering data related to the fertilizer subsidy, which in turn has caused delays in disbursing the subsidy funds.

The Minister further stressed the importance of practical implementation when carrying out the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation.

He also stated that if the Ministry is to issue a circular or gazette notification, it should be done with a clear understanding of the country’s situation and prevailing conditions.

The importance of providing timely solutions to public issues without delay was also strongly emphasized during the discussion.