They were forced to stage protest in this peak plantation season after the government failed to provide sufficient quantity of fertilizers. They had padlocked the Tulsipur-based branch office of Agriculture Inputs Company (AIC) on Tuesday. [break]
The farmers, who arrived from different parts of the district, have threatened not leave the street unless their demands are addressed. The shouted slogans against the black marketing of fertilizers and condemned the government´s failure to supply fertilizers as required by them on time.
“The government has been providing only a nominal quantity of fertilizers. The distribution process is not scientific and lacks transparency,” said Jeevan Kumar Reule, president of Farmers´ Struggle Committee.
The irate farmers are also demanding the government to distribute fertilizers through AIC´s network and not through local co-operatives.
However, Tirtha Neupane, chief of AIC´s Tulsipur branch, said he can not go against government decision by distributing fertilizers more than the approved quota.
AIC has set aside 4,000 sacks (50 kg per sack) of fertilizers -- Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Potash -- for distribution in and around Tulsipur.
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