Additional supply of artificial fertilisers is very important to achieve wheat target this year as the country is facing a shortage of fertiliser around five million sacks. Different farmers while talking to a private TV channel on the issue of shortage of fertiliser (Urea) apprehended that the shortage of the fertiliser would jeopardise the wheat target as well as the dream of food sufficiency.
They were of the view that the shortage would cause some 20-25 per cent cut in yield. Farmers complained that fertilisers' dealers have started taking the negative advantage of this shortfall by inflating the price of a sack from Rs 670 up to Rs 1000 as there is no regulatory authority for the fertiliser dealers.
Dealers on the contrary hold the load shedding responsible for the short production of the fertiliser, which results in short supply to them from the Company. They said that during the last 15 days when the power crisis has deepened, the supply from the company has come to a stand still.
However, Federal Minister for Agriculture and Food Nazar Muhammad Gondal during a press conference in Multan a couple of days ago assured the growers about the existence of ample stocks of fertilisers in the country which, he claimed would be enough to meet the requirements.
He said the prudent and in time decisions taken by the government ensured availability of Urea fertilisers at Rs 660 per bag that was previously being sold at over Rs 1000 per bag. "I want to promise to the growers that all policies of the government meant to benefit them and their sole aim is to bring prosperity to farmers," he remarked.