Sindhupalchowk, Nepal, April 25: At a time when farmers across Nepal are struggling with a shortage of fertilisers, nearly 30,000 sacks of chemical fertiliser have been lying unused for years at the Tatopani Dry Port and customs warehouse.
According to Tul Bahadur Pandey, information officer at the Tatopani Customs Office, a total of 29,826 sacks of urea fertiliser—equivalent to around 1,400 tonnes—have remained stored for years and are now no longer usable.
The fertiliser was jointly imported from China by SinoMax-Silk Market, Global Matrix, and Bidh Pvt. Ltd. under Silk Company, in agreement with the Agricultural Inputs Company Limited (AICL).
In the fiscal year 2022/23, a contract was signed to import 735,000 sacks of urea. However, the companies failed to deliver the agreed quantity on time. As a result, their deposit was confiscated and they were blacklisted.
Although the importers had committed to supplying 2,500 tonnes of fertiliser, they were unable to deliver even 500 tonnes within the deadline, preventing timely distribution to farmers.
Despite multiple extensions, the companies failed to meet delivery targets, leaving a large quantity of fertiliser stranded at the customs warehouse. “Due to prolonged storage, the fertiliser has deteriorated and is no longer usable,” Pandey said.
The situation has also created logistical challenges, with the unused stock occupying valuable space needed for other goods at the customs yard.
AICL had set a final deadline of May 28, 2024, requiring the company to deliver the fertiliser stored at customs within 30 days and supply the remaining 29,500 tonnes within 107 days. However, even after 300 days, around 1,300 tonnes remained undelivered, leading to the blacklisting of the importer.
Bijay Sherpa, a representative of Silk Market, attributed the delay to limited container clearance from the Chinese side through the Tatopani border. Although some fertiliser was transported to Kathmandu through mutual agreement with AICL, the remaining stock failed to arrive on time and was left stuck at customs.
Chief of Tatopani Customs Rajendra Prasad Chudal said that between June 1 and June 17, 2023, a total of 3,590 tonnes of fertiliser entered Nepal from China. Of this, about 2,200 tonnes were cleared and sent to the capital, while around 1,400 tonnes remain in storage.
He added that since the dispute between AICL and the suppliers is currently under judicial review, no final decision has been made regarding the disposal or use of the fertiliser. #Nepal #fertilizer
