ISLAMABAD: The ministry of industries and production has requested provincial governments for crackdown against dealers involved in hoarding of urea stocks that is resulting into price hike.

The directive came from the ministry following reports that certain profiteers are creating shortage in supply of urea to artificially raise the prices during the current sowing season of Rabi.

The ministry has also announced there are sufficient stocks of urea to cater for domestic demand for the Rabi session.

An official statement issued here said the estimated stocks at the start of December were 240,000 metric tones, expected to reach 885,000 metric tonnes by end of the month.

The estimated demand during the month is estimated at 770,000 metric tonnes. There will be sufficient opening stocks of urea in January 2019 to cater for the requirements.

The government has imported urea which is ready to be dispatched and has also facilitated operators of two fertiliser plants which were earlier closed.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2018