Nepal is set to import chemical fertiliser from Bangladesh to meet the Himalayan nation's emergency needs for rice production.
The Agriculture Inputs Company Limited (AICL) of Nepal has invited bids for transporting urea fertiliser, Nepalese media Republica reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, the state-run AICL has made the move at a time when the transplanted paddy is almost ready for harvest.
The farmers were unable to avail the agriculture inputs when they were urgently in need of them.
The state agency issued a public notice a few days ago, asking firms to submit bids to bring fertiliser from Bangladesh, the Republica reported.
"The company to be selected will be asked to import fertiliser within a week," Hari Bahadur KC, spokesperson for Nepalese ministry of agriculture and livestock development, was quoted as saying.
The South Asian neighbour has been blaming two local companies for failing to supply chemical fertiliser in time, the report said.
Even Kathmandu has scrapped contracts with the companies and is considering blacklisting them.
Following the incident, Nepal has been trying to import fertiliser from Bangladesh with a promise to refund it later, the report said.
According to a ministry source, India has given its word to allow the movement of Nepal-bound fertiliser carriers through its land.
Three weeks ago, Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in a telephone talk urged his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina to help Nepal with fertiliser.
The neighbouring nation is reeling under an acute shortage of fertiliser at a time when the demand is at its peak.
Kathmandu has sought Dhaka's support for 50,000 tonnes of urea to Nepal, the report added.
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