KATHMANDU, Sept. 1 -- Although the government had assured farmers of an adequate supply of fertilizers for this year's main rice plantation season, it has failed to fulfill its commitment. Farmers continue to struggle as the government delays the distribution of this essential agricultural input.

With the rice plantation season nearly over along with the monsoon, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ram Nath Adhikari has urged farmers to wait for a few more days to get fertilizers. "In the next 7-10 days, farmers will have easy access to fertilizers that are being imported from Kolkata, India," the minister said while addressing a program in Kapilvastu on Sunday.

It has already been over two weeks since the state-owned Sal...