LAHORE. August 11, 2022. With surge in the prices in domestic market, off-take of DAP fertilizer has shrunk up to 50 %, for Kharif season 2021-22, the market sources told NEWSMAN on Thursday.
Sudden increase in DAP prices and withdrawal of subsidy given to the farmers have resulted in its less off-take of DAP for Kharif crops 2021-22.
The Economic Survey of Pakistan 2021-22, had suggested 0.90 million ton DAP off-take for Kharif crops this year. Pakistan had only 0.70 million tons DAP stocks and demand and supply gap was to be plugged off with import.
Pakistan would need another 1.18 million tons DAP for Rabi season 2022. According to Economic Survey of Pakistan 2021-22, Pakistan is expecting 1.18 million DAP for Rabi crops this year. Its official availability statistics given in the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2021-22, suggested that Pakistan will have 0.35 million tons of DAP as opening stocks for Rabi and it will have 0.44 million tons local production of DAP and the remaining gap of 0.38 million tons will be plugged-off from import for Rabi crops.
The DAP prices have gone up to Rs 14000 per 50 kg in the country in this month and it is almost next to possible for the farmers, in particular , those who have small holdings to buy DAP at such a high prices and use it for their crops in today’s environment when the farming community has no prospects of getting good prices of their produces.
DAP is a basic agricultural input and its use enhances fertility of the soil and so their per acre yield to increase agricultural production. Normally, the growers use two bags for each acre for a season of major crops and it increases yield per acre of crops like wheat, corn , maize, sugarcane substantially.
Commenting on less intake of DAP , Rabia Sultan , director Farmers Association of Pakistan (FAP) said the farmers have no financial resources to buy DAP fertilizer for their crops and its ultimate end would be less production of major crops this year. Rabia Sultan deplored that agriculture sector was the most neglected sector of Pakistan and the same approach among the decision makers was turning Pakistan into a net importer of agri produces . She recalled that delay in announcement of support price of wheat and other cash crops had resulted in sharp reduction in their production and as a result Pakistan spent foreign exchange of millions of dollars on import of agri produces like wheat and many others.
Khalid Khokhar, president Kissan Ittehad fully agreed with Rabia Sultan on the issue. He said kissan being a neglected one is in the worst shape in Pakistan. Kissan is not earning a single penny out of his produces as his input cost and income per acre have great gap. Today Kissan is not even matching his input cost and how can he carry on in an environment with no better future in sight . Khalid Khokhar demanded of the government that it should care for kissan of Pakistan if it wants to reduce its dependency on import of major agri produces like wheat and cotton .