Govt seeks cooperation of fertiliser firms

Ordinance being amended to reduce middlemen’s role.

FAISALABAD: The Punjab government has asked fertiliser companies to help the province effectively deal with malpractices in fertiliser trade and reduce the role of middlemen and seasonal traders.

A new fertiliser law, when it comes into force, would be applied strictly and people harming the market would be dealt with an iron fist, said Punjab’s Additional Secretary Agriculture Bilal Ahmad Butt.

He was speaking in a meeting of a committee constituted to suggest amendments to the Punjab Fertilizer (Control) Ordinance 1973 and give a new policy draft for finalising the ordinance by taking all stakeholders on board.

The meeting, held at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), was attended by officials of the agriculture department, professors of the agriculture university, law experts, representatives of fertiliser companies and other people concerned.

The committee, which is working on removing anomalies and misgivings to address malpractices in the market, underlined the need for improving various definitions used in the ordinance.

UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said the new law would regulate the sector for the next many decades and it should be error-free and eliminate hurdles in equitable distribution of fertilisers to the farmers.

Highlighting salient features of the draft, he said the government was determined to regulate equitable distribution of fertilisers and make them available at fair prices to the farmers at grass roots level.

Representatives of the private sector and fertiliser companies assured the government of their full support in preparing the draft to safeguard the interest of all stakeholders.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2013.

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