SANGHAR, Jan 16: The prices of diamonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, which is used with a number of other fertilisers to increase per acre yield of wheat, rose to Rs2,000 per bag of 50 kilogramme as on Tuesday from last year’s Rs850 to Rs1,000. Nitrophos (NP) also registered a rise to Rs1,222 per 50kg bag from Rs750.

The dealers blamed hoarding by multinational and national companies and importers for the unprecedented rise and claimed that only in Sanghar, some companies had hoarded hundreds of bags in their godowns and warehouses and stopped sale for last two months in hope for a rise in the price.

The phosphate is used at the time of wheat sowing in November and December to get good yield but majority of farmers could not use it this season due to price hike.

This will badly affect per acre yield because nitrogenous (urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate) and potash are applied in a balanced ratio. If anyone element is missing, the efficacy of others will diminish.

The official rate of a 50kg DAP bag is Rs1,704 and NP Rs1,222 per 50kg bag.