The farmers of Saptari district are being flooded with substandard fertiliser smuggled in from India. Empty fertiliser sacks bearing recognised and trusted Nepali brand names are refilled in India and smuggled in through custom points in Raghunathpur, Khairavni, Samsi and Pokravinda among others, according to a local trader in custody. Following the tip-off, the police and a team of revenue department officials raided many warehouses and recovered several sacks of substandard fertiliser. About two years ago, the government even deployed the army to check smuggling but the activity has not abated in this border district.