Farmers worry as urea prices edge up

KARACHI (Azhar Ali Khan): The prices of urea in the southern Punjab gained further Rs25 per 50-kg sack on increase demand ahead of major crops sowing season, ARY News reported on Monday.

Farmers said that the black marketing of Urea is once again being carried out by the dealers as the demand of fertilizer is inching up.

“The urea has once again been costlier by Rs25 and currently available at Rs875 per 50-kg sack,” said an office-bearer of Agri Forum Pakistan – a representative body of farmers.

He said that farmers are buying urea these days mainly for the sowing of wheat. “Urea would be in great demand in coming days as sugarcane, corn and vegetables would be in sowing,” he remarked.

Another farmers’ representative body, Kisan Board Pakistan, has also criticized the recent price hike of fertilizer, declaring the act “a proof of the failure of regulators”.

“The Urea is being sold much higher than the government-controlled rate of Rs725 per 50-kg sack,” said an office-bearer of KBP.

He alleged that the dealers and importers of urea were bagging billions of rupees every year through black marketing. “…and every year they (importers and dealers) are allowed to mint money unlawfully,” he deplored.

The farmers’ associations have demanded the government to check and control rising fertilizer prices.