LAHORE, Dec 22: Over 50 per cent of recently ordered 300,000 tons of urea has already arrived at Karachi Port, and the rest of it is on the high seas, Asif Zaman Ansari, chairman Trading Corporation of Pakistan, told Dawn on Thursday.

The country has been suffering a deficit of 375,000 tons of urea in the second half of January, which would be met through on-time import.

Ruling out any shortage, he insisted that entire import process would be completed by second week of January and the government had already made elaborate arrangements for in-land transportation of urea.

The TCP on Wednesday ordered another 75,000 tons of urea to three parties and told them that last date for delivery was January 10 and no slackness would be tolerated.

Dilating upon deficit, he said that when the present management took over, the corporation had ordered 200,000 tons of import.

The bidders could deliver only 75,000, leaving a shortage of 125,000 tons. Meanwhile, the government ordered another 250,000 tons, thus taking the total to 375,000 tons.