LARKANA: The growers of various areas of Larkana district staged a protest and sit-in at Jelus Road here on Sunday against black marketing of urea, DAP fertilizer and district administration’s failure to take stern action against the profiteers and hoarders. They also shouted slogans demanding open sale of the fertilizers.
Arbelo Chandio of Dhamrah village, Zahid Hussain of Kanga village, Ghulam Mustafa of Hatri Ghulam Shah village and others complained before media persons that district administration has taken no action against the black margeteers and has failed to ensure availability of urea on government rates due to which they are forced to pay exorbitant rates in this storm of inflation era and that too required bags are not supplied.
They said DAP is being sold at Rs9000 per bag instead of Rs4000 and urea bag is available at Rs2600 instead of government rate of Rs1770 but the district administration is silent as if it is not in its knowledge. They asked where we poor farmers should go to make complaints against such open and daring highhandedness and violations. They said we are extremely worried about the prevailing situation which will multiply our hardships. They urged the Sindh government to wake up and ensure open supply of fertilizers at government rates, stern action against profiteers and hoarders or else, they warned, they will be out on roads.
When this scribe talked with the President, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, Syed Sirajul Oliya Rashdi, he said that if this state of affairs continued then he fears that wheat crop will be affected to the extent of 40 to 45% and the growers will turn to other crops. He said the government should take action against the dealers and ensure that urea is freely available in the market.
He said DAP has become very expensive hence no one is using it anymore but if the urea continues to be supplied short then the ultimate result will affect the wheat crop because poverty-ridden farmers cannot afford procurement of urea at high rates. He said tillers have to stand in long queues and only three bags are given to one person on his turn after wasting a long time. He said rulers should not forget that agriculture is the backbone of our economy and it must flourish at all costs.