GUJAR KHAN: The recent rain spell brightens hope for wheat and mustard crops in the arid areas of Potohar but non-availability of fertilisers has dampened the farmers happiness.

Agriculture in Potohar areas of Gujar Khan, Sohawa, Chakwal, Kallar Syedan, Kahuta are largely dependent on rainfall before and after the sowing of wheat, corns and ground nuts seeds.

With the already lowering of market price of wheat grains the farmers in the region are unhappy with high costs of fertilizers.

Raja Zain ul Abideen, a prominent farmer of Gujar Khan giving the details said that in the Arid areas of Potohar region the land requires four to five times ploughing and per hour per hectare costs Rs15,000.

Farmers complain of fertiliser shortage

He said that a bag of DAP fertilizers at the time of sowing wheat, costs Rs17,000, while Rs2000 are spent on pesticides spraying on crops , and before bearing grains Urea fertilizers are required and a bag costs Rs4,500 and according to him now a days artificial shortage created by profiteers has raised its prices in black market up to Rs5,000 , and according to these farmers they are running here and there to manage it at every cost to get boost in yields while profiteers are charging extra money on delivery.

Raja Zain said that harvesting, thrashing and transport of chaff and grain to the cellars also cost a lot and at the end of the harvesting the farmers are left with pangs on controlled rates at the time of marketing.

Chaudhry Rab Nawaz, another farmer pointed out that last year the prices at marketing time were lowered up to Rs3,000 and now the flour was being sold at Rs5,000 to Rs6,000 per maund.

They said that lowering prices of wheat in disparity with the expenses was discouraging the wheat growers in Potohar.

They pointed out that due to setbacks in selling price the farmers were switching to ground nuts and delays in rains at the time of sowing wheat, the ground nut growing lands were left empty and this time produce of wheat is likely to suffer in this region.

The farmers have urged the Punjabchief minister and the prime minister to take notice of the shortage and black marketing of fertilisers and fix the prices of the wheat at the gross marketing time according to expenses on the wheat growing to boost cultivation of this crop.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2026