The DCO Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri has said that as against the targeted demand of 135,000 bags, 149,635 Urea fertiliser bags have been made available in the markets of the district from October 2008 to January 2009 as such there was no shortage of fertiliser in the district and the same was being supplied to the growers on government fixed rates through Utility Stores.
This he said while presiding over the meeting regarding regulation of supply of fertiliser in the district held at his main office today.
Addressing the meeting, the DCO Hyderabad informed that as many as 2,1740 bags of urea fertiliser were made available from Engro Chemical, 55,700 bags from Fauji Fertiliser and 72,195 bags from Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) in between October 2008 to January 2009 against the total demand of 135,000 urea bags.
Besides the district government Hyderabad has increased its targeted demand upto 185,000, subsequently the further consignment of more than 35,000 bags of urea fertiliser would also be made available in the market to avoid any eventuality of the fertiliser shortage due to faulty market mechanism. He said that in addition to that the taluka-wise vigilance committees comprising on the Revenue Magistrates and Agriculture officers have also been constituted for strict vigilance in the market to avoid any kind of black marketing, illegal out side trafficking of fertiliser and its sale on high price to the growers.
The DCO Hyderabad said that government was working on multidimensional strategy to ensure food security in the country and easy availability of fertiliser to the growers at the government rates was an effective instrument to make the strategy more successful. He said that in addition to fertiliser producing companies, the government has also engaged TCP to provide fertiliser to the growers through utility stores. Besides, to facilitate growers, the fertiliser producing companies are providing 50 percent of their total production of urea fertiliser to the government which was also being sold at the utility stores at the controlled price through TCP.
Aftab Ahmed Khatri urged upon the management of fertiliser producing companies to establish their ware houses in Hyderabad and to keep at least 5,000 bags of urea fertiliser at these proposed ware houses so that fertiliser could be made available to the growers in case of shortage or crises. He advised the growers to purchase fertiliser from the utility stores and get credit from Agriculture Development Bank or any other bank if needed. He assured that Revenue department would provide full help to the growers in this regard.
The DCO Hyderabad also directed the Revenue Magistrates to be more vigilant and inspect the dealers' shop and check their stock registers for availability of fertiliser and sale position. He warned the dealers and other who engaged in the business of fertiliser to avoid hoarding or practice of illegal trafficking the fertiliser to other districts failing which action would be taken against them. He also directed the Revenue Magistrates and officers of agriculture department to pay surprise visits to markets and impose fine on the dealers in case of their selling fertiliser to the growers on higher prices. The EDO Agriculture Shuhabuddin Siddiqui, EDO Revenue Syed Barkat Rizvi, representatives of the grower organisations, fertiliser companies and other concerned officers attended the meeting.
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