“Stern action will be taken against those fertilizer manufacturers who in connivance with some dealers may be acting as mafia to create artificial shortages to escalate prices”, said the Prime Minister while chairing a high level meeting to review wheat and fertilizer stock in the Country today.
The meeting was informed that there is 6.6 million metric tons of public wheat stock available while as adequate stock of fertilizer will be available for the Rabi crop in 2021. Both stocks are adequate to meet the requirements of the Country.
According to data collected, it was informed that fertilizer companies based in Sind have provided abnormally greater stock to some dealers in Sind as compared to dealers in other areas of the Country where it is required for meeting cultivation demands.
The Prime Minister expressed serious concern over the disproportionate stock distribution of Urea and directed that fertilizer be provided to other areas as per requirement of farmers.
The Prime Minister emphasized that PTI government has introduced farmer friendly policies for the first time in the history of the Country. However, he lamented that mafias are busy in profiteering rather than caring for interest of consumers.
The Prime Minister said that Government is providing Rs. 120 billion subsidy on Gas to the Fertilizer industry along with Rs. 100 billion worth tax incentives. Yet the fertilizer companies are supplying extra amount of fertilizer to specific dealers in some areas which reports indicate are involved in hoarding. This disparity has benefited the hoarders as a result of which artificial shortage has been created.
The Prime Minister directed immediate crack-down on fertilizer hoarders and punitive action as per Anti-profiteering and anti-hoarding laws.
The Prime Minister directed that Track & Trace system introduced for Sugar sector should also be used for fertilizer industry to discourage artificial shortage and price manipulation.
The Prime Minister said that legal recourse will be taken against hoarders and profiteers and if the Provincial Government of Sind does not take effevtive measures against these anti-people criminals, the Federal Government may intervene under relevant legal provisions to compensate for inaction of Sind Government against hoarders as this inaction by Sind Government is adversely affecting the supply and prices of fertilizer throughout the Country including Sindh.
