SIALKOT, Aug 18: Dozens of paddy growers staged a demonstration on Monday in Satrah-Daska against the shortage of urea and other fertilisers in the district.

The protesters were holding banners and placards and chanting anti-government slogans. They said dealers had hoarded the fertilisers, causing shortage in all the four Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils.

They said the acute shortage would adversely affect their paddy crop over thousands of acres of land in Sialkot district.

The protesters alleged that some dealers were selling fertilisers at inflated rate of Rs1,000 per bag against the fixed official price of Rs600. The growers further alleged that the Sialkot district government had miserably failed to overcome shortage. On the other hand, dealers have termed the fertilisers producing companies responsible for the crisis-like situation. They said most of the dealers had already paid huge amounts to these companies in advance about six months ago for on-time supply of fertilisers. The dealers said the companies were now reluctant to provide the consignments at six months old rates. Now, the companies were asking the dealers to get supply at current rates.

Apart from non-availability, the dealers were facing a financial crunch owing to advance payments to fertilisers companies.

Sialkot DCO Atta Muhammad Khan said a crackdown on hoarders and dealers had been ordered to ensure early availability of fertilisers in the district.