Zardari for swift clearance of imported fertiliser at Gwadar port

Move to help ease demand in far-flung areas and ensure price stability.

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday directed the National Fertiliser Marketing Limited to expedite offloading and transportation of imported urea which is currently clogged up at Gwadar port.

The issue of fertiliser availability in far-flung areas of the country can be resolved and the rising price can be stabilised by swift clearance of urea, Zardari said during a briefing at Bilawal House on the current urea situation and price of rice.

National Fertiliser Marketing Limited informed the president that so far 700,000 tons of imported urea has arrived at Gwadar port of which 480,000 tons has been off-loaded. The process of cargo discharge as well as lifting and transportation of urea is carried out by NFML

The president said that all efforts should be undertaken to resolve operational limitations as any adverse change in weather was likely to damage imported fertiliser lying at the port. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has offered support to NFML for transport of 200,000 tons of urea to up-country destinations with rates and other formalities fixed by NFML.

The president was also briefed about province-wise share, distribution and the quantity of urea that has been distributed so far.

It was also disclosed at the meeting that at present roughly 500,000 tons of Irri-6 rice was available in the market with a price of about Rs29,000 per ton, according to Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP).

It was informed that TCP is not involved in local procurement, price mechanism or rice export and would only intervene if required by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2012.