KATHMANDU, Sept 4: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Dr Beduram Bhusal, has said lumpy skin disease had come under control.

In a press meet organized at his ministry in Singha Durbar on Sunday, Minister Bhusal viewed although the disease had taken a toll on livestock, it is being brought under control in recent days. The government continued its utmost efforts to prevent and treat the disease, he said, adding that vaccines against the disease were brought from Jordan, Tanzania and Turkey.

He further informed that over 1.3 million doses of vaccines were imported, and nearly one million cattle jabbed against the deadly disease. The number of cattle getting recovered is growing now. Among over 1.5 million livestock diseased in the country, nearly 1.4 million got recovery, the Minister shared.

Currently, 73,636 livestock are suffering from the disease, the ministry data shows.

Similarly, the ministry recorded the total livestock fatality at 52,548.

The Minister informed the media that the government would make a decision on how the farmers losing their cattle could be provided relief. The Finance Ministry and Home Ministry were sent a standard for relief distribution for their approval, Dr Bhusal said.

Moreover, he shared that the government had prioritized the increase of agricultural production by managing irrigation facilities in the cultivable land. It was discouraging to leave cultivable land unused. Minister Bhusal admitted that farmers were however facing the shortage of chemical fertilizers.

Rice comprises 67 percent of total food consumption in Nepal, but the country still needs 1.2 million tons of rice to meet the demand. Bearing this in mind, the government is launching a campaign to increase the plantation of Chaite dhan (early rice), according to the Minister.

 
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