By GHULAM ABBAS
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Industries, Production, and National Food Security, Rana Tanveer Hussain, on Saturday directed the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to ensure the quality of value-added urea products from fertilizer companies across the country.
As per details, the minister chaired a review meeting that discussed issues related to the availability and pricing of urea fertilizer. Dr. Mussadiq Malik, Minister of Energy, Petroleum Division, also attended the meeting, along with CEOs from FFCL, FFBCL, Engro Corporation, Agritech, and Fatima Fertilizer Corporation.
Rana Tanveer Hussain also directed the introduction of toll-free numbers to receive complaints about price increases and overcharging by dealers, aiming to facilitate growers by providing all agricultural inputs at sustainable rates.
The minister further stated that the estimated availability of urea during the Kharif season 2024 was recorded at 3,394 thousand tons, while total consumption is expected to be around 3,156 thousand tons.
He noted that there was sufficient stock of urea fertilizer available for the Kharif season and stressed the need to ensure an uninterrupted supply at affordable prices.
The CEOs of the fertilizer companies assured that all manufacturing units would operate at full capacity to meet local demand, provided that the government ensures an uninterrupted gas supply.
It was agreed in the meeting that fertilizer companies will implement a uniform pricing mechanism across the country from the next Rabi season, ensuring that retail prices are consistent nationwide.
The federal minister further stated that provincial governments and companies will monitor urea prices and dealers to ensure a smooth supply of the commodity to farmers. He warned that dealers who charge higher prices than the retail price would be blacklisted.
