However, the availability of urea fertilizer in Punjab province was a major hurdle as the prices of the input has jacked up and it was being sold in black market at much higher rates than its actual price, said Khalid Abdullah, Cotton Development Commissioner.

Abdullah, who has recently assumed the charge of his duties in the Ministry of Textile Industry after devolution is mandated to promote and develop the linkages between growers, ginners,industry and international agencies.

He told APP here Monday that the cotton growers crucially require urea fertilizers during recent days as crop was passing through ball-formation stage, adding that inadequate supply of urea will harm the output of the crop", he remarked.

Giving the reasons of urea shortage in the country, he alleged that the agriculture input is being sold on higher prices by the black marketers in Punjab as the local manufacturers have reduced their fertilizer production.

Besides, the government has also imported the urea to fulfill the gap, which was schedule to arrive by the end of last month but it has arrived in the mid of August.

He said the government has provided the required quantity of urea to the farmers for rabbi season and there is no question of its shortage in the country.

Dr. Khalid Abdullah informed that the price of cotton in international market has witnessed a declining trend as the buyers have not yet started the baying for the industry.

He further informed that all the issues of giners were amicably resolved by addressing their concerns and simplifying the procedures of withholding tax.

Cotton Commissioner said that light rains are beneficial for the cotton crop, but water should not remain stagnant in the field more than 24 hours, that could harm the crop.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011