PM Kakar directs to ensure supply of urea fertilizer on controlled rates

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday directed the departments concerned to prepare and submit an action plan immediately for uninterrupted supply of urea fertilizer on priority basis.

PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar also ordered to ensure its availability to the farmers at government controlled rate and submit a report in this regard by tomorrow.

“To ensure uninterrupted supply of urea fertilizer during crop sowing, a comprehensive framework should be prepared and presented in consultation with the provinces and the relevant industry,” he said while chairing an emergency review meeting regarding demand and supply, and price of urea fertilizer in the country.

During the meeting, the prime minister asked the district administrations to take immediate action against the hoarders of the fertilizer, and identify and punish those responsible. He said the government subsidy on urea fertilizer must reach the deserving farmers.

The prime minister directed the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Food Security to provide the production and supply statistics of urea fertilizer to the provincial governments, and ensure coordination in operations against its hoarders.

He said the transportation of fertilizer should be monitored at all provincial borders, while ensuring that no hurdle was made in its supply to meet the provincial requirements. He said all the provinces should bear the burden of subsidy on urea fertilizer in proportion to their consumption.

Earlier, a detailed briefing was given in the meeting on the recent production, demand and supply of urea fertilizer to farmers in the country.

The meeting was told that the production and stock of urea in the country was sufficient for the wheat crop, whereas 220,000 metric tons was being imported for buffer stock, and its first consignment would would reach Pakistan by next week.

The provincial chief secretaries briefed the meeting on the steps taken by the district administrations to ensure the supply of fertilizer to the farmers at the government controlled prices.

The meeting was informed that the summaries for subsidy on fertilizers would be presented in the cabinets of all provinces for approval soon. Caretaker ministers Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Captain (retd) Shahid Ashraf Tarrar, Dr Kausar Abdul Mulk and Muhammdad Ali, relevant high officials and chief secretaries of all the provinces attended the meeting.