NICCI proposes Nepal–India joint investment in fertilizer plant to address chronic shortages

Kathmandu, December 31, 2025 – The Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) has proposed a joint Nepal-India investment in a fertilizer manufacturing facility to address Nepal’s persistent fertilizer shortages, which recur almost every harvest season and continue to affect agricultural productivity.

The proposal was floated by NICCI President Sunil K.C. during an interaction with Dr. Pramod Kumar Meherda, Additional Secretary at the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, during his visit to Kathmandu.

Highlighting the challenges faced by Nepal’s agricultural sector due to unreliable fertilizer supply, K.C. emphasized the need for long-term, structural solutions through bilateral collaboration.

“Lack of timely access to fertilizer is one of the key factors constraining agricultural productivity in Nepal,” he said in the meeting on Monday. “A joint investment in a fertilizer manufacturing facility could significantly address Nepal’s chronic supply challenges while contributing to regional food security.”

He further noted that such cooperation would strengthen economic ties between the two countries. “This kind of collaboration would not only ensure supply stability but also deepen economic integration and partnership between Nepal and India,” he added.

The discussion also focused on strengthening cooperation in the agriculture sector and enhancing bilateral trade. Both sides exchanged views on promoting sustainable agricultural practices, improving productivity, and addressing structural challenges faced by farmers in the region.

During the meeting, led by NICCI President K.C., members of NICCI’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Working Committee, along with agriculture entrepreneurs including representatives from Nimbus Nepal and Dabur Nepal, highlighted the importance of strengthening the agriculture ecosystem value chain, with particular emphasis on post-harvest management.

Stressing the role of human capital development, the participants emphasized the need for targeted training and capacity building of Nepali farmers. They noted that creating complementary agricultural ecosystems would allow both countries to leverage their comparative strengths more effectively.

NICCI also proposed enhanced cooperation in organic agriculture, suggesting institutional support for organic certification. Such supports, participants noted, would enable Nepali farmers to access premium markets and add greater value to their produce while meeting international standards.

In addition, the Chamber suggested a joint investment in cold storage infrastructure in border areas, aligned with seasonal and crop cycles, to reduce post-harvest losses, stabilize prices, and strengthen cross-border agricultural trade.

The interaction reflected a shared commitment to advancing Nepal-India cooperation in agriculture through strategic investments, knowledge exchange, and sustained institutional engagement.

Responding positively to NICCI’s proposals, Dr. Meherda requested the Chamber to compile key issues related to Nepal’s agriculture sector and submit them to his ministry, indicating that collaborative solutions could be explored in a mutually beneficial manner.

Dr. Meherda visited Kathmandu to take part in Nepal-India Joint Agriculture Working Group meeting.

दीर्घकालीनअभावसमाधानकालागिनिक्कीद्वारानेपाल–भारतसंयुक्तलगानीमामलकारखानाखोल्नेप्रस्ताव

काठमाडौं, पुस१६:  नेपाल-भारतचेम्बरअफकमर्सएण्डइन्डस्ट्री (निक्की)लेहरेकवर्षरोपाईगर्नेबेलामादोहोरिँदैआएकोमलअभावसमाधानगर्ननेपाल-भारतसंयुक्तलगानीमामलउत्पादनकारखानास्थापनागर्नेप्रस्तावअघिसारेकोछ।दीर्घकालीनमलअभावकाकारणनेपालमाकृषिउत्पादनशीलतामानिरन्तरअसरपरिरहेकोसन्दर्भमानिक्कीलेउक्त प्रस्तावगरेको हो।  

निक्कीकाअध्यक्षसुनीलकेसीलेभारतसरकारकोकृषिएवंकिसानकल्याणमन्त्रालयकाअतिरिक्तसचिवडाप्रमोदकुमारमेहेरदासँगकाठमाडौंभ्रमणकाक्रममाभएकोअन्तरक्रियामाउक्तप्रस्तावराखेकाहुन्।

मलकोअनियमितआपूर्तिकाकारणनेपालीकृषिक्षेत्रलेभोग्दैआएकोचुनौतीऔँल्याउँदैअध्यक्षकेसीलेद्विपक्षीयसहकार्यमार्फतदीर्घकालीनरसंरचनागतसमाधानकोआवश्यकतारहेकोउल्लेखगरे। “समयमैमलउपलब्धनहुनुनेपालमाकृषिउत्पादनबढ्ननसक्नुकाप्रमुखकारणहरूमध्येएकहो,” उनलेसोमबारकोबैठकमाभने। “मलउत्पादनकारखानामासंयुक्तलगानीलेनेपालमादीर्घकालदेखिदेखिएकोआपूर्तिसमस्यालाईउल्लेखनीयरूपमासमाधानगर्नुकासाथैक्षेत्रीयखाद्यसुरक्षामापनियोगदानपुर्‍याउनसक्छ।”

यस्तोसहकार्यलेदुवैदेशबीचकोआर्थिकसम्बन्धअझसुदृढहुनेपनिउनलेबताए। “यसकिसिमकोसहकार्यलेआपूर्तिस्थायित्वसुनिश्चितगर्नुकासाथैनेपाल–भारतबीचकोआर्थिकएकीकरणरसाझेदारीलाईथपगहिरोबनाउनेछ,” उनलेथपे।

छलफलमाकृषिक्षेत्रमासहकार्यविस्तारगर्नेरद्विपक्षीयव्यापारप्रवर्द्धनगर्नेविषयमापनिध्यानकेन्द्रितगरिएकोथियो।दुवैपक्षलेदिगोकृषिअभ्यासप्रवर्द्धन, उत्पादनशीलतावृद्धितथायसक्षेत्रमाकिसानहरूलेभोगिरहेकासंरचनागतचुनौतीहरूबारेविचारआदान–प्रदानगरे।

निक्कीअध्यक्षकेसीकोनेतृत्वमाभएकोबैठकमानिक्कीअन्तर्गतकोसानातथामझौलाउद्यमकार्यसमितिसदस्यहरूतथानिम्बसनेपालरडाबरनेपाललगायतकृषिउद्यमीहरूलेकृषिइकोसिस्टमविशेषगरीबालीकटानपछिकोव्यवस्थापनमाजोडदिँदैकृषीमूल्यशृंखलासुदृढीकरणकोआवश्यकताऔँल्याए।

यसैगरि, मानवपूँजीविकासकोमहत्त्वमाजोडदिँदैसहभागीहरूलेनेपालीकिसानकालागिलक्षिततालिमरक्षमताअभिवृद्धिकोआवश्यकतापनिऔँल्याए।दुवैदेशकाकृषिप्रणालीलाईएकआपसमापरिपूरकबनाउनेइकोसिस्टमविकासगर्दातुलनात्मकलाभलाईप्रभावकारीरूपमाउपयोगगर्नसकिनेउनीहरूकोधारणाथियो।

निक्कीलेजैविककृषिमासहकार्यविस्तारगर्नसकिनेप्रस्तावपनिराख्दैजैविकप्रमाणीकरणकालागिभारतसरकारकोसंस्थागतसहयोगआवश्यकरहेकोउल्लेखगर्‍यो।यसप्रकारकोसहयोगलेनेपालीकिसानलाईउच्चमूल्यकाबजारमापहुँचदिलाउनुकासाथैअन्तर्राष्ट्रियमापदण्डअनुसारउत्पादनकोमूल्यअभिवृद्धिगर्नसहयोगपुग्नेसहभागीहरूलेबताए।

यसकासाथै, चेम्बरलेसीमाक्षेत्रहरूमाबालीरमौसमचक्रअनुसारसञ्चालनहुनेशीतभण्डारणपूर्वाधारमासंयुक्तलगानीकोप्रस्तावगरेकोथियो।यस्तापूर्वाधारलेबालीकाटेपछिकोक्षतिन्यूनीकरण, मूल्यस्थिरतारसीमापारकृषिव्यापारसुदृढीकरणमासहयोगपुर्‍याउनेअपेक्षागरिएकोछ।

उक्तअन्तरक्रियालेरणनीतिकलगानी, ज्ञानआदान–प्रदानतथादीर्घकालीनसंस्थागतसहकार्यमार्फतनेपाल–भारतकृषिसहकार्यलाईअगाडिबढाउनेसाझाप्रतिबद्धताझल्काएकोछ।

निक्कीकाप्रस्तावहरूलाईसकारात्मकरूपमाग्रहणगर्दैअतिरिक्तसचिवडामेहेरदालेनेपालकोकृषिक्षेत्रसँगसम्बन्धितप्रमुखमुद्दाहरूसंकलनगरीआफ्नोमन्त्रालयमापेशगर्नचेम्बरलाईअनुरोधगरे।उनलेदुवैपक्षकालागिलाभदायकहुनेगरीसहकार्यात्मकसमाधानहरूखोज्नसकिनेसंकेतपनिगरे।

डामेहेरदानेपाल–भारतकृषिसंयुक्तकार्यदलकोबैठकमाभागलिननेपालआएकाहुन्।