KARACHI, June 9: In the first five months of this year Engro has been able to operate the urea plant for only 60 days due to gas curtailment and that, too, at 70-80 per cent of its allocation, which translates into a full supply of just 2 days per week, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

The company stated that due to gas curtailment farmers also have to bear the burden of high cost of urea.

The non-availability of gas, which is the essential raw material for the industry, has restricted production and supply of urea in the current Kharif season.

Ironically, the shortage is crippling the farm sector, despite the production capacity being available.

The company noted that in 2006, the government held an international bidding process for the allocation of 100 million cubic feet per day (mmscfd) gas for a fertilizer plant, in which Engro participated and was awarded allocation.

”This was the first and only time in Pakistan’s history that gas was obtained in this manner and not through simple application”, said Engro.

The company release stated that it was on the basis of the sovereign commitment that Engro set up the world’s largest single train ammonia-urea plant in the country with an investment of $1.1 billion.

This plant located in Sindh utilises gas from the Qadirpur gas field in Sindh, the company said.