Pakistan will overcome fertilizers shortage with China’s help: Industries and Production Minister
Gwadar Pro
Islamabad: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar has said that the Pakistan will overcome the fertilizer shortage with China’s help and improved production.
The minister chaired the fertilizer review meeting. Other participants include representative of fertilisers manufacturing industry and officials of Provincial agriculture departments.
The meeting discussed the domestic production and demand of fertilizers for next 2022 Kharif (summer) season.
Speaking at the meeting, Bakhtyar said that the government had geared up to ensure smooth, adequate and timely supply of key soil nutrients to farmers in upcoming Kharif season and the decisions had been made accordingly.
He hoped that like last year, the domestic production of urea would be maintained to fulfill the requirements of urea and import of urea from China will help overcome the additional requirement.
The minister also directed all provincial agriculture departments to prepare district-wise supplies plan as per agronomic demands for next Kharif season.
He informed that 100, 000 tons of urea will arrive from China as the government had imported it to facilitate the farmers.
After due deliberations, the forum decided to maintain 200, 000 ton urea inventory in this month on pro-rata basis by manufacturers and carrying cost of inventory loss of manufacturing companies will be built in government’s next controlled prices of urea, said an official statement.
It was told in meeting that the carrying cost of each urea bag is worth of Pakistani Rs 2-3 (two to three).
The Chair also directed the Ministry Industries to submit the summary of gas supplies from April to June 2022 to northern urea plants in next economic coordination committee.
The meeting decided to import urea to hedge the country from global supply disruptions, and higher prices amidst Ukraine crisis. Ministry of Industries and Production will place summary in next Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).
