Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mahmud says the government has geared up to ensure smooth, adequate and timely supply of key soil nutrients to farmers during Kharif season.

Addressing a meeting of Fertilizer Review Committee in Islamabad on Monday, he said that government would make all-out efforts to provide urea to farmers at affordable prices timely.

Urging the industry to rationalize the prices immediately to support the farmers, he assured that issues pertaining to payments will be addressed.

The meeting discussed the domestic production and demand of fertilizers for kharif season.

The Chair was briefed that projected domestic production of urea would be 3.2 MMT from April-September 2022 whereas probability of urea off take would remain 3.4 MMT in the same period.

The forum was also told that there would be 2 percent increase in agronomic demand for fertilizers in this year. It was noted that the urea sales went up by 17 percent in last year.

In order to curb the hoarding and profiteering, of urea across the border due to high price differential, the meeting decided to take up strict measures in cooperation with the law enforcement agencies, FBR and Ministry of Interior to thwart across border trafficking of urea.

Source: Radio Pakistan