Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Mir Israrullah Zehri has said that the government would import additional urea to meet the requirements of Rabbi Season and would ensure availability of imported urea at Rs1500 per 50 kg bag.

The minister said this while chairing a meeting held here to review the availability of urea in the country for Rabi season.

He said that the government would not allow hoarding and black-marketing of the fertilizer.

Zehri said that the demands of urea would be met through an additional import of two million tons of the ferteliser if approved by Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC).

"The imported urea will be available at Rs1500 per 50 kg bag. We need about 3.4 million tons of urea while our local industry produces 2.4 million tons. The gap has to be filled though import. TCP is already importing 0.7 million ton of urea and we may import 0.2 million ton more to fulfill the requirements," said the minister.

The minister said that the increase in the price of urea was irrational and too high and would adversely affect the poor farmers. He said that the recent jump in prices was beyond any logic that needed to be brought down.

The minister earlier presided over the 32nd Board of Governors (BoG) meeting of  Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) at PARC Headquarters Islamabad.

He urged the agriculture scientist to work on projects that could be completed in short time and meet their objectives. He added that the farmers must be taken on board before launching any project so that they get the targeted objectives. Zehri said that PARC must play a leading role to promote agriculture and livestock.

The Board of Governors (Bog) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) unanimously approved annual budget worth Rs1939.589 million for the financial year 2011-2012, which included Rs1304 million for operational expenses and Rs1605.000 million for establishment expenses. Zehri said that the government was giving high priority to agriculture research and development to meet the food security and poverty challenges.

Abdul Majeed Nizamani, Progressive farmer/President Sindh Abadghar Board said that palm oil trees need to be planted in coastal areas so that import bill of edible oil could be reduced. He said research budget also need to be enhanced so that research activities could be expanded by PARC. The BoG also approved basic increase 2011, 15 percent, ad hoc allowance 2011, 25 percent, increase in conveyance allowance to all, pension increase and shortage of funds for computations, special research allowance/additional research allowance and 25 percent increase of rental ceiling for hired houses. The Board also approved up-gradation/creation of research establishments under the "Aghaze Haqooq-e-Balkochistan package" announced by the Federal Government.

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Seerat Asghar said that his Ministry would leave no stone unturned for financial support to PARC in research activities especially in Baluchistan and other parts of the country.

The meeting was attended by members of Board of Governors from provinces, high officials of Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning, progressive farmers and Technical Members of the PARC.

SOURCE: BUSINESS RECORDER