January 5, 2012

Pakistan clears imported urea at Gwadar port

President Asif Ali Zardari directed the National Fertiliser Marketing Limited on Tuesday (Jan 3) to further offloading and transport of imported urea which was stacked at Gwadar port.

The issue of fertiliser availability in far-flung areas of the country can be resolved and the rising price can be stabilised by swift clearance of urea, Zardari said during a briefing at Bilawal House on the current urea situation and price of rice.

National Fertiliser Marketing Limited informed the president that so far 700,000 tonnes of imported urea has arrived at Gwadar port of which 480,000 tonnes has been off-loaded. The process of cargo discharge as well as lifting and transportation of urea is carried out by NFML

The president said that all efforts should be undertaken to resolve operational limitations as any adverse change in weather was likely to damage imported fertiliser lying at the port. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has offered support to NFML for transport of 200,000 tonnes of urea to up-country destinations with rates and other formalities fixed by NFML.

The president was also briefed about province-wise share, distribution and the quantity of urea that has been distributed so far.

It was also disclosed at the meeting that at present roughly 500,000 tonnes of Irri-6 rice was available in the market with a price of about PKR29,000 (US$321.17) per tonne, according to Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP).

It was informed that TCP is not involved in local procurement, price mechanism or rice export and would only intervene if required by the government.