NAROWAL, Jan 22: Local farmers on Thursday threatened to commit suicide if the government failed to provide fertilizer to them.

A large number of farmers demonstrated outside the offices of the Agriculture department against the non-availability of fertilizer for the wheat crop.

Carrying placards, the enraged protesters chanted slogans against the officials of the agriculture department.

They alleged that dealers were selling fertilizer in the black market in connivance with the officers of the agriculture department. They said that black-marketers were charging Rs1,000 to 1,500 per bag.

Protesters said that crops of farmers who could not afford to buy fertilizer in the black market had been destroyed.

Farmers claimed despite depositing money with the agriculture department some three weeks back, they could not get the fertilizer.

They alleged that farmers having several acres of land had also been given coupons for only five bags of fertilizers.

Farmers Baba Karam Bakhsh, Nazir, Allah Ditta and others demanded of the high-ups to take stock of the situation.

FAISALABAD: About 200 farmers besieged the office of the deputy district officer (revenue) in Jaranwala and blocked Kutchery Road for some one hour in protest against the shortage of urea on Thursday.

They also shouted slogans against the government and burnt old tyres.

They alleged that parliamentarians were exploiting the farmers and were not ready to see them prosper.

Protesters alleged that politicians were getting hundreds of bags daily with the connivance of the DDO (R), but the farmers were being refused.

They said the shortage of fertilizer would affect the wheat production if the government failed to take appropriate measures in this regard.

The protesters later dispersed peacefully after the police assured them that their demands would be forwarded to the quarters concerned.