Kathmandu: The first lot of chemical fertiliser it is importing from has finally arrived in the country, almost six months after it began a procedure for that.

The Krishi Samagri Company Limited says 3,400 metric tonnes of urea fertiliser have arrived at its Birgunj and Biratnagar offices.

Rajendra Karki, the information officer at Sirsiya Dry Port, in Birgunj says the port received 2,500 tonnes of the fertiliser last night. Likewise, additional 900 metric tonnes have arrived at Biratnagar.

The government is purchasing 50,000 metric tonnes of urea from Bangladesh as per a government-to-government agreement. Of that, 22,500 metric tonnes have reached the Kolkata port now, and the remaining quantity after that will also arrive in a day or two, it has been learned.

The fertiliser will be distributed through 41 distribution centres of the company.

Nepal will receive the fertiliser at three points, namely: Bhairahawa, Biratnagar, and Birgunj.

The two countries had initially discussed borrowing fertiliser from Bangladesh in September last year. Later, the government decided to buy it under a government-to-government agreement.

Nepal is suffering from the chemical fertiliser crisis since early last year due to different factors including the Covid-19 pandemic and the contractors’ failure to keep their promises.