Paddy growers rally against Urea fertilizers' paucity

SIALKOT: In Sialkot, the hundreds of the paddy growers and farmers have strongly protested against the non-availability of the urea fertilizers.

They took out a peaceful agitational rally, which began from congested Allama Iqbal Chowk and ended there after passing through all the main city roads. The protesting growers and farmers were carrying agitational banners and placards and they chanted anti-government slogans, in this regard. Addressing the growersI meeting there, the several growers and farmers were of the view that the non-availability of the urea fertilizers was badly affecting the sowing of the seasonal paddy crops in Sialkot region (a hub of producing the best quality bumper wheat yield). Central Chairman Pakistan Kissan Board Aman Ullah Chatta said that there was a shortage of the urea fertilizers in Sialkot region and the paddy growers and farmers were suffering from great difficulties due to the non availability of the urea fertilizers.

He said that this nasty situation was causing inordinate delay in the sowing of the paddy crops. He said that the fertilizersI dealers were selling the DAP fertilizers at a rate of Rs.1600 to 1700 per bag in black against the fixed official rate of Rs.1245 per bag in Sialkot, Daska, Bhopalwala, Sambrial, Uggoki-Bajwat, Pasrur, Chawinda, Satrah, Badiana, Mianwali Bangla and surrounding areas. He said that that the district governments still remain unable to check this nasty practice. He said that despite the dealers were selling these fertilizers in black at a rate of Rs. 1600 to 1700 per bag, besides, creating artificial shortage of the urea fertilizers in this region. He feared that the sowing of the seasonal paddy crops was badly hampering due to the shortage of fertilizers in Sialkot region and he said that this sowing would be much delayed in this persisting situation. He urged the government to look into the matter in the larger interest of! the whe at growers and farmers.