SANGHAR, July 21: The price of urea fertilizer has increased, a survey conducted by this correspondent revealed. According to fertilizer dealers, a 50kg urea bag was available at Rs430 in June before the budget. But now, the survey found, the fertilizer is in short supply and Rs470 to Rs475 is being charged per bag.

The dealers said warehouses of major fertilizer companies were empty and when they sent demand drafts, the delivery was made after a month.

Farmers and leaders of farmers' organizations alleged that this was an artificial shortage created by dealers and multinational and national fertilizer companies to fleece the farmers.

They said the cotton crop at this stage required nitrogen (usually provided by applying urea) as it was in full bloom and ball formation had started. A shortage of nitrogen would adversely affect the phutti yield, they added.

They said the fertilizer companies and dealers knew this fact and had created the shortage to mint money. Hassan Askari, Yar Mohammad Rind and Mir Nizamani of the Small Growers' Association and the Sindh Abadgar Board said the companies had increased the price as there was no check on them.

They regretted that on one hand the prime minister and the finance minister were announcing incentives for farmers and on the other, the fertilizer companies had made mockery of the announcements. They appealed to the president, prime minister and the finance minister to look into the matter and save their crops from being destroyed.