Urea prices likely to fall
The Fertiliser Manufacturers of Pakistan Advisory Council (FMPAC) agreed to reduce the prices of urea in order to provide relief to the agriculturists in the country, a spokesperson of Industry and Production Ministry said on Wednesday.
According to the spokesperson, Fauji Fertiliser Company Managing Director Jhanagir Paracha conveyed the FMPAC decision to Industries and Production Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain during a meeting. Paracha told the minister that
FMPAC unanimously agreed to reduce the prices of urea.
The matters discussed during the meeting included prices of fertilisers and the supply of gas to the fertiliser plants. The minister assured that the proposals forwarded by the FMPAC would be presented to Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet for the final decision.
According to the proposals, all fertiliser plants should formally be allocated and supplied gas exclusively from the Mari Gas field under bilateral arrangements in accordance with applicable gas pricing policies and that the government must ensure an uninterrupted supply for the next 10 years.
Read Govt to devise gas price plan for fertiliser
The government was also requested to fix uniform prices of urea all over Pakistan to discourage hoarding by middlemen and agencies. According to the FMPAC, this would ensure the availability of affordable urea for the farmers and save foreign exchange on the urea import.
The minister was informed that if the proposals were accepted by the government, the fertiliser industry would not require any subsidy in the future, besides these would attract more investment in fertiliser production capacity and energy efficiency.
During the meeting, according to the spokesperson, Rana Tanveer Hussain said that the government was committed to taking every step to ensure facilities to the farmers during the ongoing Kharif season. He assured that these proposals would be taken up at the ECC.
Bilawal BhuttoThrowing his weight behind the farmers community seeking higher price for their yield, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday demanded the government to announce special incentives for them in the upcoming budget and provide direct relief to small farmers by subsidising the agriculture sector.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Bilawal Bhutto emphasised the provision of subsidies to small farmers and landlords through the implementation of a “Kisan Card” system.
He demanded the government to engage all stakeholders, including farmers’ organisations, and proposed the declaration of a 10-year emergency along with the implementation of consistent agricultural policies.
He emphasised that such measures would significantly contribute towards the country’s development. He underscored the necessity for the government to restore the confidence of the wheat-growing farmers by announcing support measures.
This, he emphasised, is essential to ensure there is no shortage of wheat in the coming year. Bilawal urged the government to take decisive action to resolve the wheat import controversy and hold accountable those responsible during interim set-up in the wheat import scandal.
He stressed that the prime minister should identify the bureaucrats and former ministers involved in the scandal and take prompt action against them without any further delay. He emphasised that all major parties have consistently recognized agriculture as the backbone of the country in their manifestos.
Bilawal pointed out that the funds involved in the scandal were derived from the tax contributions of the people of Pakistan, and those responsible for misusing them should be held accountable. He highlighted that as a result of this scandal, wheat procurement by the provinces and the government has decreased, adversely affecting farmers’ ability to obtain fair rates for their produce. This loss to farmers and economy were a result of decisions made by incapable and inefficient individuals, and they must be held accountable.
Bilawal emphasized that it is not the fault of the farmers, and the government should step in to assist them. He stressed the importance of recognizing Pakistan as an agricultural country and urged a renewed focus on agriculture as a means to earn and thrive.