Government tells National Assembly of 200,000-tonne fertiliser shortfall

The government has told the National Assembly that Pakistan faces a shortfall of more than 200,000 tonnes of fertiliser against demand, with two urea plants shut and about half of the country's requirement now met by imports, The Express Tribune reported.

Parliamentary Secretary Shaista Khan gave the figures during Question Hour. She said the Middle East situation had affected gas supply, forcing two urea plants to stay closed temporarily. The shutdown left fertiliser availability more than 200,000 tonnes short of demand and created shortages in the market, she told the House.

Crop production depends on fertiliser availability, Khan said, so any rise or fall in prices and supply is a concern for the government. About 50 per cent of national fertiliser needs are met from abroad, she said, and prices have risen because of the Middle East crisis. The Express Tribune reported that the shortage adds to farmers' costs as they face rising cultivation expenses.

Khan said the Ministry of National Food Security and Research gives priority to farmers' needs and has launched projects to address them, including easy loans so growers can buy agricultural inputs.

Asked about reports of wheat adulterated with sand and soil in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, she said the relevant minister was planning action against those involved in supplying substandard wheat. She gave no detail on the districts affected or when the action would begin, according to the report.

On seed development, Khan said research on new varieties is under way at the National Agricultural Research Centre. Work is also being done on wheat seed suited to water-scarce conditions, she said, so the agriculture sector can meet the effects of climate change.