“No leniency will be shown toward elements involved in profiteering and hoarding”, directed the Prime Minister while chairing a high level follow-up meeting to review supply and demand of fertilizer in the Country today.
The Prime Minster said that hoarding of fertilizer can adversely affect the crop production for Rabi season, therefore, supply of fertilizer must be ensured for the farmers.
The Prime Minister said that PTI government has introduced farmer friendly policies for the first time in the history of the country as they are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.
The Prime Minister directed that an effective public awareness campaign be launched to dispel the rumors about urea shortage.
The meeting was informed that an average fertilizer supply of 19,000 MT/day was ensured during last week and an additional 1,000 MT/day has been added. It was informed that Cabinet has approved import of 100,000 MT of Urea from China on Government-to-Government basis at almost half price from the current international market rate.
As regards anti-smuggling measures, it was informed that 92,845 bags of urea have been confiscated by provincial governments of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, that were being smuggled. A dedicated Monitoring Cell in the Ministry of Industries is monitoring the Fertilizer situation and it has helped in urea tracing and price control.
Federal Ministers Shaukat Fayaz Tareen, Makhdoom Khusro Bahtiar and Syed Fakhar Imam, Minister of State Farrukh Habib, SAPM Dr. Shehbaz Gill, executives from Fertilizer manufacturing companies and senior officers attended the meeting. Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa joined via video link.
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