The government has decided to reinstate subsidies on urea. The subsidies were phased out in December 1999 under the terms of an Asian Development Bank loan funding reforms suggested by the 20-year Agriculture Perspective Plan. The new subsidy will cover the interest on loans obtained by both the state-run Agriculture Inputs Corporation (AIC) and the private sector for importing urea. The AIC's sale price of urea shot up from Rs 740 to Rs 894 per quintal after government support was phased out. The move is aimed at helping Nepali agro-products compete with Indian imports which are cheaper due to subsidies on fertiliser, irrigation and support prices.