Fertiliser: Country to import further 50,000 tons

Tender for import issued to ensure fertiliser supply for Kharif season.

KARACHI:

The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has awarded a tender for import of a further 50,000 tons of urea, a type of fertiliser, in a swift move to ensure supply of sufficient fertiliser for the current Kharif crop sowing season amid domestic shortages caused mainly by insufficient gas supply.

This quantity was in addition to the tender awarded to Multi Commerce LLC on Friday for supply of 50,000 tons of urea at $544.73 a ton including cost and freight.

In an announcement on Monday, TCP said the additional quantity had been purchased at the lowest price of $544.73 per ton (C&F) quoted in the tender and within the validity period of the bid offered by the second lowest bidder, Transammonia AG, which agreed to match the lowest bid.

The two lots of 50,000 tons each would arrive at Karachi and Gwadar ports. TCP said it would open letters of credit early in the week to expedite the supply and ensure that the commodity arrived by the first half of July.

In addition to the import of 100,000 tons of urea, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) will supply 50,000 tons in the second half of July, under the Saudi Fund for Development’s credit facility. “This will augment the stock of urea in the country,” TCP said.



Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2011.