SIALKOT, May 8: The dealers and stockists in Sialkot and Narowal districts have increased the rates of urea fertilizers by Rs102 per bag, while the government has yet not taken any measure to save farmers from this exploitative hike. Chairman Farmers’ Rights Protection Forum, Punjab, Mirza Ehsan Baig and president Anjuman Kashtkaran, Sialkot district, Syed Iqbal Shah, stated this at a meeting of the farmers and growers held here on Sunday, urging the district government to take serious notice of this situation.

They said urea fertilizers were being sold in the districts at the enhanced rate of Rs525 per bag instead of Rs423 due to lack of effective check on prices.

The farmers’ representatives said the poor farmers who had borrowed the fertilizers due to financial constraints had been adversely affected by this hike.