PM urges action on urea shortfall
There is an immediate need to import urea to ensure that there is no shortage of the essential input especially for wheat sowing. photo: file
As the country’s farming community is experiencing a urea shortfall of around half a million tonnes, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Monday directed the departments concerned to prepare and submit an action plan for an uninterrupted supply of urea fertilizer on a priority basis.
He also ordered ensuring its availability to farmers at the government-controlled rate and submit a report in this regard by today (Tuesday). “To ensure uninterrupted supply of urea fertilizer during crop sowing, a comprehensive framework should be prepared and presented in consultation with the provinces and the relevant industry.”
The prime minister said this while chairing an emergency review meeting regarding demand and supply, and price of urea fertilizer in the country.
Wheat growers are the worst hit by the disappearance of urea fertiliser and are forced to pay a significantly high premium on top of its notified price to procure the chemical.
The prime minister was given a detailed briefing on the recent production, demand and supply of urea fertilizer to the farmers in the country.
The meeting was told that the production and stock of urea in the country was sufficient for the wheat crop, whereas 220,000 metric tons was being imported for buffer stock, and its first consignment would reach Pakistan by next week.
The provincial chief secretaries briefed the meeting on the steps taken by the district administrations to ensure the supply of fertilizer to the farmers at the government-controlled prices. The meeting was informed that the summaries for subsidy on fertilizers would be presented in the cabinets of all provinces for approval soon.
During the meeting, the prime minister asked the district administrations to take immediate action against the hoarders of the fertilizer, and identify and punish those responsible. He said the government subsidy on urea fertilizer must reach the deserving farmers.
The prime minister directed the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Food Security to provide the production and supply statistics of urea fertilizer to the provincial governments, and ensure coordination in operations against its hoarders.
He said the transportation of fertilizer should be monitored at all provincial borders, while ensuring that no hurdle was made in its supply to meet the provincial requirements. He said all the provinces should bear the burden of subsidy on urea fertilizer in proportion to their consumption.