September 06, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 05, 1429

SANGHAR, Sept 5: The intervention by government and Pakistan People’s Party leaders and activists has deepened the urea fertiliser crisis in the district leading to an increase in ‘friendly looting’ of fertiliser-loaded trailers.

The prevailing conditions had forced dealers, who booked urea in June and July, to bring it to the district.

Urea was available in abundance at the rate of Rs650 to Rs680 until the last week of July while official rate was Rs635 per bag.

Subsequently, revenue and agricultural officers started raiding shops to bring down the rates while dealers either diverted their deliveries to other districts for marginal profits or began hiding these at Otaqs of landlords resulting in price hike.

The situation got worst when farmers started looting urea-loaded trailers and manhandled dealers. Many commission agents who advanced millions of rupees to farmers to raise cotton crop provided fertiliser to farmers. They purchased it from the black market for Rs850 to Rs950 per bag and provided it to farmers with a profit of Rs5 to Rs10 per bag. Their trailers were also hit by friendly looting after which farmers paid them Rs635 to Rs700 per bag.

This led to losses of hundreds of thousands to commission agents while discouraging them to send fertiliser to the district.

Non-farming elements also played a big role in aggravating the situation as majority belong to the ruling party. They were elated over the catching of a loaded trailer and took the lion’s share at official rate to sell it in black market.

On Wednesday only, four trailers were looted. Usually these are taken to Otaqs of an influential person of the ruling party, and then sell it to gain political mileage.