Responding to a calling attention notice of Yasmeen Rehman and other regarding non-availability of urea fertilizer and its high prices in the country, he said.
Government was providing Rs 31 billion subsidy on urea. He added that the government was purchasing per bag of urea from international market at Rs 3000 and providing Rs 1300 to Rs 1500 subsidy on each urea bag.
He said that there was shortage of seven lac metric tones of urea in the country, adding that two lac metric tones urea had been reached on port while five lac metric tones would be arrived by Decembler 2011.
The Parliamentary Secretary said that as far as the matter of non-availability of urea in the sowing season was concerned it was the responsibility of the provinces to ensure its availability and check its hoarding and smuggling. He said the federal government neither sanctioned urea quota to the dealers not it was distributed on its recommendation.
He said that a meeting was held with the Provincial Steering Committee of Agriculture and they were told to ensure availability and distribution of urea in their respective provinces.