Pakistani government acknowledges fertiliser shortfall of over 200,000 tonnes — The Express Tribune

In Pakistan, the government has acknowledged a fertiliser shortfall of more than 200,000 tonnes compared with the country’s needs. This was reported during question hour in the National Assembly in Islamabad. According to government representatives, two urea production plants temporarily suspended operations due to disruptions in gas supplies, causing problems with the availability of fertiliser on the market.

Gas supply disruptions

As The Express Tribune reports, the government linked the disruptions in gas supplies to the situation in the Middle East. According to the authorities’ assessment, this worsened the shortage of urea, a nitrogen fertiliser important for agriculture.

Parliamentary Secretary Shaista Khan told lawmakers that fertiliser prices and supply volumes matter for agricultural production. According to her, Pakistan also relies on imports: supplies from abroad cover approximately half of the country’s fertiliser needs. Fertiliser prices have also risen amid the Middle East crisis.

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Support for farmers

According to Khan, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research is implementing various projects to support farmers, including affordable loans to cover agricultural needs.

In addition, work on new seed varieties is underway at the National Agricultural Research Centre. It is studying varieties suitable for wheat cultivation and water-scarce conditions in order to help the agricultural sector adapt to the consequences of climate change.