MULTAN, March 17: In a surprise move, a leading manufacturer has increased prices of phosphate fertilisers by Rs530 per bag. Engro Chemicals Private Limited in a notification issued on Saturday said a 50-kg bag of DAP fertiliser would now cost Rs1,385 instead of Rs855. The price of Zorawar (45kg), another phosphate fertiliser of the company, rose to Rs1,335 from of Rs800.

Dealers said that other fertiliser firms were likely to follow suit and raise the price next week.

It may be mentioned that the federal government is giving a subsidy of Rs250 per bag on DAP and Rs109 on other fertilizers. The subsidy was announced last year when companies increased the DAP price.When contacted, Food and Agriculture Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan was stunned by the move and said that he would give an official version in a day or two.

Asad Aleem, marketing manager of Engro Chemicals, was not available for comments.

Meanwhile, farmers complained of shortage of fertilisers, especially DAP, in the market.