January 3, 2012
Pakistan''s Sindh growers affront fertiliser price hike
Increase in the prices of DAP and Urea fertiliser by the dealers and profiteers have been strongly criticised by Pakistan''s Sindh growers.
The farmers and growers of rice, wheat, sugarcane and other agricultural commodities have lodged several complaints that the fertiliser dealers in several parts of Sindh districts including in Larkana, Ratodero, Naudero, Qamber-Shahdadkot are selling the urea fertiliser in black market at high prices at the advent of the Rabbi season, while prepared paddy rate is lower than before.
They said that current rate of paddy selling is PKR750 (US$8.33) per 40 kilogrammes throughout and the prices of DAP is over PKR4,250 (US$47.22) and Urea fertiliser bag at PKR2,000 (US$22.22), which is not even available for Rabi season simultaneously.
President Chambers of Agriculture Larkana (CAL) and other senior growers Qalab Hussain Lahori and Zafar Ali Abbasi told that the urea which had been selling in the market at PKR1,600 (US$17.78) and DAP fertiliser was PKR3,800 (US$42.22) last year of Kharif season and now the prices of DAP and urea fertilisers going up day by day which has affected the common farmers and they could not achieve the cost of production (CoP).
They said yet to recovery of the devastating floods which wrecked havoc to their standing crops, adding that they were even getting full prices of their crops as middlemen exploited through various tactics and put handsome profits in their pockets, leaving them high and dry on the occasion.
They demanded of the Sindh Agriculture Department to ensure transparency in the supply and selling of fertiliser and take stern action against the profiteers or else they would resort to take severe action and responsibility of any eventuality would rest on the provincial government they warned.
The farmers and growers in Naudero have lambasted an exorbitant increase in the prices of DAP and Urea fertiliser for upcoming Rabbi and Kharif Season crops, while decrease of the rates of selling of paddy is much concern and far away from cost of production.