Farmers of Marchwar area of Ruppandehi, who did not receive rain a month ago, are now suffering from the black market of chemical fertilizers. As there is not enough available in the country, they have to pay high prices depending on Indian fertilizers. Urea fertilizer is being distributed in the village at Rs 900 per bag. But after not getting it from the local cooperative, they had to buy Indian urea bags that were 'carried to their doorsteps' for between 2,500 and 3,500 rupees.

According to common people, manure brought overnight from India to the border area is delivered to the local market and doorstep by some people. Farmers said that when the green paddy in the field did not get fertilizer, they were buying the fertilizer carried in this way at a high price. According to Ramashankar Yadav of Sammarimai-7 Betkuian, Rupandehi, the price of a 45 kg bag of urea fertilizer is 280 Indian rupees in the Indian market.

The people involved in transportation bring fertilizer from India for a maximum of 600 rupees per bag and store it in the border area towards Nepal. "As soon as it is brought to the border, the price of fertilizer is 2200 rupees per bag," he said. For the convenience of the farmers, the Nepalese administration has been relaxing the security in the transportation of manure since it is not able to supply as per the requirement within the country. But recently, farmers are sad after having to pay triple the price of fertilizer which is available in the local area at 900 rupees. 

Farmers are worried that instead of eating the fair profit of the fertilizers brought from India, they started black-marketing. 73-year-old Najabuddin Muslim of Sammarimai-7 needs 40 sacks of urea fertilizer every year. This time too, rice is flourishing in his field. As the water is sufficient, it is time to spread the fertilizer. "Until now, not one bag of fertilizer has been taken from the cooperative," he said, "We have to buy 3500 rupees per bag from the fertilizer carrier from India."

He said that the price of one bag of fertilizer brought from India can buy three bags in Nepal. "Earlier there was a problem due to lack of rain," he said. He says that he has received two bags of urea from the cooperative so far. "The fertilizer here is not enough," he said, "now I am looking for Indian fertilizer." 

Until two-three years ago, chemical fertilizers were cheaper in India than in Nepal. That's why the border farmers are filling the shortage by transporting fertilizer from India, said local Ram Vikas Chaudhary. Until then, the price of Indian fertilizer was only 500 to 1000 rupees. He said that smuggling is widespread as urea is used in non-agricultural purposes such as plywood and alcohol. ``A bag is being sold at 22500 rupees,'' he said, ``It made the farmers uncomfortable.''

Smuggled manure is also being transported to the northern part of the district. Fertilizer has been transported through Jhulnipur under the Bhairahawa-Lumbini road section from Tuesday. There are godowns of smuggled manure in Rohini, Murchbari and Lumbini areas of the district. Farmers buy and use them from the warehouse at a high price. Sammarimai-7 is about 14 km south of the Indian border from Betkuiyan.

Lack of cooperatives

The cooperatives selected for distribution in Marchbar have not been able to supply fertilizer as per the demand. As a result, the conflict between farmers has increased. Mahesh Lodh, manager of Mahalakshmi Swavalamban Savings and Credit Cooperative, located in Sammarimai-7 Betkuiyan, said that the co-operative has been entrusted with distributing fertilizer to 1,001 households in 10 villages. More than 800 bighas have been planted in that village. 

One bigha requires one quintal of urea. In this way, 800 quintals of fertilizer are required to be delivered to all the farmers, he said. At least 107 sacks of urea are required to deliver to all. So far, 850 sacks of fertilizer have been supplied by agricultural material companies and salt trading. "Fertilizer disappears in the agricultural material company," he said, "here farmers are forced to buy Indian fertilizer." 

Lodh says that there is a conflict in the cooperative due to less distribution of fertilizer. According to him, the farmers who have already paid the money ask for the money back when they do not get the fertiliser. Farmers queue up in front of the cooperative from midnight on the day of fertilizer distribution. After the cooperative opens at 7 am, the jostling for the mall begins. "Even if we try to reach everyone, they are scolded," he said, "We call the police on the day of fertilizer distribution because of tension." But he said that 1000 sacks of fertilizer have not been supplied yet. Only 340 sacks have arrived so far. Every year, 10,000 sacks of fertilizer are required for 11 villages in the cooperative's working area. 

Only 2000 sacks are supplied during the year.  'The rest of the country has to buy fertilizer brought from India,' he said, 'Democracy has not come to the people.'' Indian security personnel intervene when going to buy fertilizer. He said that the farmers are also suffering from the home security personnel after coming to Nepal after suffering mistreatment and bringing manure. 

In the rural areas, fertilizers are imported from India and black marketed, but the administration has neglected to control them. According to the locals, fertilizers are being sold in the settlements which are close to the border area. Locals say that in the northern part of the district, manure is usually transported in the evening, morning and night. Those involved in manure smuggling are delivering such manure to vacant buildings and agrovets in places.

'It is not a big deal for farmers to bring fertilizer from India and sprinkle it on the fields,' said Jitendranath Shukla (BW), the former chairman of Sammarimai Rural Municipality, 'The people's representative administration should have at least controlled the black market, that role was not seen.'