Senate panel seeks report on urea shortage

Committee informed urea prices had risen significantly; govt reduced price, fixed rate of 1,950 per 50 kg sack

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production sought a report from the relevant ministry about shortage of urea in the market.

The committee met here with Khaleda Adeeb in the chair. The industry and production secretary informed the committee that urea prices had risen significantly, but the government reduced its price and fixed the rate of 1,950 per 50 kilogramme sack.

He added that the shortage of urea was caused by the lack of gas supply to the plants. He further said that there was a gap in demand and supply of urea. The secretary claimed that those responsible for ensuring the fertiliser’s supply, were involved in its black marketing.

Senator Fida Hussain said that dealers linked urea sale to the purchase of DAP fertiliser. The secretary said that the past government had allowed this practice but under the current policy, sellers of linking urea fertiliser to DAP were being prosecuted.

He said the annual demand for urea fertiliser was 80 million metric tons, adding that for a smooth supply throughout the year, the country needed to have a buffer stock of the commodity.

At one point, the industries secretary told the committee that regardless how a good an officer was, the government could not do business. However, Senator Fida Hussain, quipped that Some establishments were even running bakeries. Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt said the bakery operators do not bring in retired people, instead they brought people from the corporate sector.