FPCCI’s presidential candidate, Atif Ikram Sheikh, said on Sunday that it is regrettable that urea has vanished from the marketplace. The artificial scarcity of urea will affect millions of farmers and agricultural and industrial production. He said those pushing the nation toward a food security crisis for quick profit should be held accountable as they play with the country’s future.

Atif Ikram Sheikh, who has also served as VP FPCCI, Chairman PVMA, and President ICCI, said that the hoarders are increasing the problems of millions of farmers for profit.

He demanded that immediate action should be taken against the hoarders and profiteers to save millions of farmers.

The business leader informed that every year, as soon as the wheat cultivation season begins, urea fertilizer disappears from the market, and the farmers have to buy it from the black market at high prices.

He said that due to the high cost of urea, its use is reduced, which affects production, and the government has to spend much foreign exchange to import wheat.

He warned that farmers are protesting nationwide, and the food security situation is feared to be affected.

He said those pushing the country towards a food security crisis should be dealt with iron hands, adding that it is necessary to stop the distributors and dealers from milking poor farmers, for which immediate steps should be taken.

Atif Ikram Sheikh noted that despite the decline in local production, urea still needs to be imported, which is surprising.

The country is facing a urea shortfall of around half a million tonnes. Current consumption estimates of urea were about 6.7 million tonnes.

He said that the full production capacity of the industry needed to be utilised, which is contributing to the shortfall of providing opportunities to intermediaries for exploitation.

The country witnessed the same shortage situation last year due to irregular gas supply to urea plants, and the deficit was bridged through expensive imports.

He said there is a need to end the country’s black fertiliser market forever, arbitrary pricing and smuggling should be stopped, and demand and supply should be balanced.

He said that the ritual of repeating past mistakes should be stopped so that farmers’ rights can be protected, the agricultural economy can improve, and wheat imports can be controlled.

The situation urgently warrants intervention to control the problem, he said.