KARACHI: Fertilizer industry remains committed to ensure adequate availability of urea to the farmers at affordable prices.

During the first 10 months (January-October) of the current calendar year, 5.1 million tonnes of urea was sold as compared to 4.6 million tonnes in the same period last year.

The domestic industry has ensured 10 percent additional supplies in the market and is currently having a much lower inventory lesser than 150,000 tonnes.

On pricing front, while urea is domestically being supplied at Rs1,768 per bag, international prices have jumped more than Rs10,000 per bag. In these challenging times, the industry has ensured that our farmers are shielded from global supply disruption and unprecedented international price increase.

However, as per market news it seems that some of the dealers have been creating artificial shortage thereby allowing them to overcharge the farmers to the extent of Rs200 or more per bag. FMPAC has requested the chief secretaries of Punjab and Sindh to exercise executive powers against the dealers involved in hoarding and profiteering.

Brig Sher Shah Malik, Executive Director FMPAC had appreciated the action being taken by the provincial governments against the culprits. He said the companies are reporting their daily stock position to the Ministry of Industries and Production. He further added that to facilitate nationwide availability, these stocks are being made available at warehouses across the country as part of Fertilizer supply chain management.

The Fertilizer industry strongly condemns hoarding and overcharging the farmers. The industry stands hands in hands with the government in all the initiatives to penalize the parties involved in black-marketing of urea as well as smuggling.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021