As a significant step to address fertilizer regulation issues, a high-level meeting was held at the office of the Divisional Commissioner Hyderabad. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a divisional monitoring cell to oversee the supply, demand, prices, and distribution of fertilizers in light of concerns about hoarding and black marketing.
The meeting was presided over by Divisional Commissioner Bilal Ahmed Memon and attended by Sindh Divisional Director of Agriculture Altaf Hussain Chandio and senior leader of the Sindh Abadgar Board, Muhammad Maluk Nizamani. Deputy Commissioners of the Hyderabad Division participated via video link.
Commissioner Memon highlighted the ample supply of urea this year, advocating for price reduction. He criticized the district-level price control framework in Sindh and called for its improvement, comparing it to the more effective system in Punjab. Altaf Hussain Chandio confirmed the official price of urea at 4,445 rupees and emphasized measures to prevent hoarding while ensuring ample stock levels.
A thorough inspection of unregistered storage facilities was recommended, while Memon questioned the absence of expiration dates on urea bags. He stressed the need to establish a robust local system to prevent inter-district smuggling and mandated the accurate transmission of data for a unified monitoring dashboard.
According to the directives of the Sindh High Court, fertilizers should not be illegally moved beyond district boundaries, and a report should be submitted to the Chief Secretary Sindh within two months. Memon instructed strict action against unlicensed dealers and proposed the establishment of a regulatory body for transparent price determination.
In conclusion, the Commissioner called for immediate action against black marketing and hoarding and demanded the establishment of a grievance system to protect the interests of farmers, particularly small and medium-sized farmers.