Hoarding of urea and DAP and their sale at exorbitant rates due to the inattention of the authorities concerned have exposed the growers of Tandlianwala to the loot and plunder of retailers and wholesalers, reports WealthPK. Sher Muhammad, a grower of Tandlianwala, has been cultivating wheat for years, but these days, he is much perturbed due to the hoarding of these two vital fertilizers and their sale at exorbitant rates. Talking to WealthPK, he said the yield and quality of the wheat crop next year would suffer due to these two factors. The government has fixed Rs3,795 for a bag of urea and Rs13,950 for a DAP bag. However, the retailers and wholesalers are selling them at their own sweet will, he said. He said after a hectic effort of five days, he managed to buy fertiliser at an inflated rate. He said a complaint was lodged with the agriculture department and district administration against the black-marketeers, but he was asked to first purchase the fertiliser so that they could move against the hoarders. Talking to WealthPK, Fareedullah, a Sargodha Road farmer, said every year, farmers had to struggle to buy fertiliser at affordable rates, but it was all in vain.

Despite tall claims of the government that the exploiters and profiteers would be dealt with an iron hand, the farmers purchase fertiliser at rates far above the official rates, he said. "We spend an extra amount on purchase of fertiliser, pesticides and other materials and wait for many days to get supplies," he added. Bashir Ahmed, another farmer, said his son was pressing him hard to sell the land for a better life. "We work hard to get a good wheat crop, but in return, we get nothing. The government announces wheat support prices every year, but the majority of farmers have to sell their produce to the private persons. Owing to this factor, my son wants me to abandon cultivation. If I sell my fertile land, I will get a hefty amount that will be sufficient for my next generation. Honestly, I am also fed up with this exploitation and the recurring hiccups," said Bashir.

Pleading anonymity, a scientist of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, told WealthPK that the bureaucracy was trying to peg the surging prices of urea and DAP with the fluctuating prices of the US dollar. He said the growers faced this issue every year and this exploitation had been going on for decades. He said the exorbitant prices of fertiliser will discourage the farmers and force them to find alternative ways of earning their livelihood. Talking to WealthPK, the district administration spokesman said a number of teams of the agriculture department were active to ensure the availability of urea and DAP at fixed rates. He said 28 cases were registered against the dealers, of which 16 had been arrested. The department has conducted 3,255 raids in Faisalabad Division and seized 1,675 urea bags worth Rs1.6 million. More than a dozen dealers' shops were also sealed.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)