SLAMABAD; The Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government decision of importing 0.150 million ton urea is just ill-timed move that would simply waste Rs 25 billion of this poor nation.
The federal cabinet chaired by prime minister, Imran Khan, had approved the summary for import of 0.150 million tons of urea from China in its last meeting. The ministry of Industries had moved the summary to the cabinet, requesting it to allow import of 0.150 million tons of urea.
Sources said the Chinese government has agreed to export urea to Pakistan at subsidized rate of $ 700 per ton. The price of urea in the international market is ranging between $ 800 to $ 825 per ton currently, but on the request of the Pakistan government, China agreed.to provide urea to Islamabad at subsidized rate of $ 700 per ton.
Keeping in view the possible shortage for the use of wheat crop , the ministry of Food Security had demanded of the ministry of Industries in September last year to make arrangements for import of urea before November 2021. Had the ministry of Industries taken timely decision of importing urea it could have made up shortage to some extent to improve supply of the fertilizer to the farmers for wheat crop in November-December which is the right time to use this important agri imput to improve wheat productivity. The second time of urea use for wheat is between January 15 to February 15. By the time imported urea will land in Pakistan and would be delivered.to upcountry its time to use even for the second round would.have gone. There would be no utilisation of urea after Mid February. Perhaps no one in the federal cabinet including the prime minister knows the wheat crop pattern . Otherwise it should have asked the minitry of Industries as to where it wants to use this costly imported urea which will be available for use after March. A bag of imported urea will cost Rs 8000 plus and it would be sold for Rs 1768 in the market . Ill-timed import will provide a golden opportunity to hoarders to buy subsidized urea and later smuggle it to Afghanistan.
The delay on the part of the ministry of Industry not only deepened the urea shortage.crisis in the country, but also fueled the rates in the market to invite the black marketiers to hoard the input and sell it to the growers at exorbitant rates. A bag of urea was sold to the growers in November-December last year for Rs 3000 plus as the profiteers had hoarded urea to make windfall profit on it. Not only this , the smugglers thrived in PTI government to smuggle urea produced locally to Afghanistan to sell a bag of it there at Rs 12000. November-December is peak time for the growers to use urea for wheat crop, but the fertilizer was non existent in the market in those times. As a result, the growers in majority could not use urea for wheat crop at all. Its impact would.result in sheer less per acre wheat yield and subsequent missing of wheat target by a big margin this year.
When approached, Khalid Khokar, president All Pakistan Kissan Ittehad , said : PTI government is defrauding with the growers on urea availability and as a result it was next.to possible to achieve wheat target of 28 million tons production this year”.
Ghulam Ahmad, a fertilizer businessman in Zafarwal (Sialkot) seconded Khalid Khokar on the issue. He too believed that unavailability of urea in peak times will cost the country 3 million to 4 million tons wheat. He stressed the need to guide the growers on use of potassium and nitrogen fertilizers.