ISLAMABAD: Food Security Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar on Thursday said the price of urea has been fixed at Rs1,665 per 50kg bag, which will provide relief to farmers especially as the standing wheat crop was at its final stages.

He said that the price reduction was in line with the vision of the government to offer relief to farmers and ensure food security for the country.

The minister was referring to the price reduction by Fauji Fertiliser Company (FFC) on Thursday to reduce urea price by Rs75 per bag effective from Mar 2 while the rate of fertilizer has declined in the wake of the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess waiver by the government.

While speaking to Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Mehmood Khokhar, he said that measures are being taken to ensure uninterrupted supply to farmers.

Bakhtyar said that the government was cognizant of the issues being faced by farmer community and was undertaking measures to resolve them.

“Development and modernisation of agriculture sector is high priority for the government, which is evident from the initiation of various agriculture programmes,” the minister said.

The issues related to the cotton and electricity supply to farmers were also discussed, as the target was 15 million bales for the crop during 2019 -20 season from cultivated area of 2.895m hectares but the output remained at 8.1m bales only.

Among the reasons cited for the decline were high input costs referring to urea prices and low quality seeds and pesticides. Bakhtyar said the government is committed to provide full support to the farmers to increase the agricultural productivity.

Meanwhile, FFC had earlier announced to reduce urea price by Rs400 per bag to pass on the benefit of cut in GIDC to the farming community.

However the prices were reduced by Rs300 per bag effective from Jan 28 and the company refrained from further cuts as gas rates were expected to be increased.

After the decision by the federal cabinet on Feb 20 that gas and electricity prices would not be raised, FFC reduced urea by Rs75 per bag post other cost deliberations making the total reduction by Rs375 per bag of 50 kg.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2020