Govt mulling over removing GIDC to bring down fertilizer prices: Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar on Monday said the government was considering to remove the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) for the future to bring down the fertilizer prices.

He was speaking in a meeting with representatives of the fertilizer industry to discuss matters related to the fertilizer supplies and pricing.

The meeting considered various ways and means to ensure sufficient supplies of the commodities while making the prices of the fertilizer affordable for the farmers.

“It seems that direct subsidy to the farmers would be more cost-effective for the government and more beneficial to the farmers,” he added.

Asad Umar said that the government believes in the deregulation of various sectors of the economy. In this regard, he also solicited proposals from the representatives of the fertilizer industry for deregulation of the fertilizer sector.

The representatives of the fertilizer industry briefed the ministers on the capacity and potential of their units and the issues faced by them.

Minister for National Food Security and Research Khusro Bakhtiar, Adviser for Commerce, Textile, Industry and Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood and SAPM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar were also present during the meeting.