LAHORE: There has been no let-up in shortage of urea fertilizer and its black-marketing in the peak demand period of wheat sowing, causing discomfort among the farmers who have lodged protest in.
Fertiliser price hike poses threat to crop yields
Business
February 7, 2021
LAHORE: Unabated surge in prices of fertiliser is compelling farmers to cut down on application of nutrients on crops, posing threat to the yields of ongoing winter and upcoming summer, people in the know said on Saturday.
“It seems that no one is bothered on this worrisome state,” Ibrahim Mughal, chairman of Agri-Forum Pakistan said, while ranting the government’s apathy to non-stop increase in fertiliser prices.
“Anti-farmers steps would not be in the interest of the country. The high cost of production would also mean increase in food inflation in the country,” Mughal said.
ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhr Imam on Wednesday said that 2021 will be a ‘make or break’ year for the cotton crop.
The industrial crop has been witnessing a decline in production over the last ten years due to multiple reasons including poor quality seed, absence of new seed technology, heat waves and climate change as well as pest attacks.
The case for ‘revival of cotton’ was once again discussed at a meeting chaired by Mr Imam. Attending the meeting, a representative of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) noted that “cotton is changing, we should change too”.