Agriculture minister demands end to fertilizer smuggling

'Farmers already affected by drought-like situation are now faced with fertilizer crisis'

QUETTA:

Balochistan Agriculture Minister, Asadullah Baloch has warned that a severe agricultural crisis can hit the province if precautionary measures are not taken to curb smuggling of fertilizer to neighbouring Afghanistan.

The minister pointed out that 80 per cent of population is dependent on agriculture in the province and a fertilizer shortage will hit the provincial economy as well as its population hard.

“Farmers already affected by drought-like situation in the province due to absence of rainfall are now faced with the fertilizer crisis,” he said.

He claimed that the dealers are smuggling fertilizer to Afghanistan to pocket handsome profits at the expense of local farmers, adding that the federal departments responsible for curbing smuggling had turned a blind eye to this illegal activity.

“Food shortage and famine can hit Balochistan if crops are not given fertilizers in time,” he said.

The minister blamed that local farmers are not provided even 50 per cent of the allocated quota, which is injustice with the farmers of this backward province.

“Farmers are protesting the shortage of fertilizer in the province but all in vain,” he said.

The minister appealed to the federal government to solve the matter.

Due to the crisis of fertilizer in the country the prices have increased manifold which is yet another problem.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2022.